The Fall of the Kingdom
by Sarastro the Queen o the Night
Summary: One upon a time...no, this isn't that type of story. Once, there was a prince and his wife. That's right. This is the story of them and their descendants.
1. The Prince and the Courtesan

**A/N: **Welcome to this THING. It has been eating away at my LIFE. I've been working on it for quite some time now. Family trees, line of healers, medical facts concerning pregnancy and childbirth and a number of other things.

And yes, if you notice a resemblance to _La Traviata _(and by extent _Moulin Rouge!)_ then you would be right. I started writing this the day after I saw said opera with my dad. He fainted during the second intermission so I never saw the end. Instead I got to ride to the hospital with my dad in an ambulance. Not fun...

So yes. To which show this is should become apparent eventually. As of now though I'm just gonna say that I don't own the Cirque, nor do I own _La Traviata _or anything that bears any resemblance to anything else.

BEWARE, THIS WILL BECOME A SAGA.

* * *

><p>"This is a time of great uncertainty," said Noriko. "Is it wise for you to throw such a magnificent party?"<p>

Michiko laughed and said, "That is why! We must lighten the spirits of our warriors, should we not? And what better way to do this than for a courtesan to throw a party or two?" Her friend smiled, and nodded.

"I do suppose you are right. Come, let us join them." The two women walked together back into Michiko's great hall, in which her party was continuing in a loud laughing mass. The warriors, the tattooed strong men, were dancing with women and their husbands were laughing together over a game of cards.

"Gracious hostess," laughed one of her guests, approaching Michiko. "There is someone I must introduce you to." Michiko unfolded her fan and hid slightly behind it.

"Come, I should like to see him," said the courtesan with a smile. He led her to where a young man, with a tattoo of high military rank was on his shoulder. He was speaking with Michiko's suitor, Baron Suzumiya.

"My gracious hostess, I should like to introduce Prince Akihito." The prince bowed to the courtesan, who curtsied elegantly.

"A pleasure to formally meet you," said the Prince. "I was just discussing with the Baron Suzumiya about how to best defend ourselves against the Kingdom of KÀ to the south. But thoughts of war have fled at the sight of your radiant face." Michiko smiled.

"I am likewise pleased to meet you, your highness. What I have been told of your handsome face does not come across to be a lie."

"Yes," said the guest who introduced them, Kaito. "And he is said to be a great admirer of yours." The courtesan's brows rose, and a smile came to her painted lips.

"Is that so, good prince?"

"Yes, I must admit it is," said the Prince. Her smile grew and she announced to the room at a whole,

"Come! Let us drink and be merry!" Servants served alcohol, and Michiko sat with Kaito and her suitor. "Now tell me about our prince Akihito."

Kaito smiled and said, "I told you about him some time ago, but he has always had an interest in you. When you were sick recently, he would ask me daily if I knew how you fared."

Michiko laughed and said, "My dear Baron, you have never been so attentive!"

"I have only known you a year," said the man in question. Michiko stood and said,

"And the prince has known me only a few minutes!" The Prince himself stood and said,

"That is true, but I am afraid I have been closely admiring of you for much longer, my lady."

The courtesan gave him a coy look and asked, "You have loved me for some time?"

"For a year now." She gave a quiet laugh and said to the Prince alone,

"I'm afraid that I am not very good at love." Then, to the room, "Come! Let us have a toast! Baron, perhaps you can summon a toast from the depths of your mind?" The man laughed and shook his head. "Then our regal guest. Let us have a toast!"

"Yes, a toast!" cried Noriko, raising her glass. Others followed their lead, and the prince said,

"This merry occasion seems more to a drinking song than an esteemed toast, dear friends. Do you know the drinking song from our eastern neighbor 'Libiamo ne'lieti calici'?"

"Of course," said Michiko. "Though…that is a love song as well as a drinking song."

"And yet one of the merriest." The guests all agreed with the prince, and the man began to sing, the musicians, who knew the song, joining. "Libiamo, libiamo ne'lieti calici che la bellezza infiora!" And on it went, Akihito and Michiko singing to each other while the guests sang in their parts. The songs from their eastern neighbor were well known and beloved by the upper class.

When the song came to a close the guests all applauded, and Michiko said, "Come, dinner should be ready and prepared." As she began to led her guests out, she suddenly stumbled. Akihito caught her, and Baron Suzumiya rushed to her side.

"Are you alright?" asked Noriko, not wanting to crowd her.

"Yes, just a bit dizzy. Go ahead, I just need to sit down for a bit," said Michiko, letting herself be guided to a chair. Her guests all went ahead, but the prince remained. "Your highness, you remain with someone who will not have you?"

He smiled. "I cannot abandon a lady I love. Are you quite sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I feel much better already. Yet you love me?"

"Yes." At her curious look, Akihito continued. "A year ago, I saw you. One day, but you caught me. This past year the face of beauty has been your face. I am aware it is shallow, but having met you I love you all the more."

"I am afraid, your highness, that I could only offer you friendship. I avoid love as I do not know how to love. It would be best, good sir, to simply forget about me and find a princess to love."

"Good madam. Is it truly wise to give advice to a prince without his permission?"

"I suppose not, your grace."

"Now we are at common ground. I daren't give you advice and you are not permitted to." The courtesan smiled at him.

"Come sir, I am feeling better. My doctor has been telling me I need to drink more water to keep from getting these dizzy spells. He says I may actually faint straight out and be bedridden. I do despise being bedridden."

"All do. If I may escort you to dinner?" Michiko stood and took his hand with a smile.

* * *

><p>The two spent the rest of the party together, dancing and talking. The Baron Suzumiya knew his station and did not interrupt their laughing conversations. And the party went on for quite some time. When dawn began to color the east, the guests took their leave. Prince Akihito kissed Michiko's hand kindly before he too left.<p>

Once she was alone, Michiko drifted up to her room, where her maid, Hoshi, helped remove her elaborate kimono. "Oh Hoshi, do you believe in true love?" she asked.

"I find it hard to find, madam," said the maid, smiling at her mistress. "I personally have yet to find a perfect match."

"But do you think it exists?"

"It may."

"I know it exists."

"Oh? And who is the lucky man?" Hoshi hung up one of the layers and returned, removing the next.

"Prince Akihito. He was at my party this last night. Such a handsome, kind man."

"Well then he may be 'the one' for you." Hoshi, being very efficient, deftly removed the rest of the kimono and brought out a nightgown for her mistress. "Now will you be so kind as to change into this?"

Michiko moved behind the changing screen and did as she was told. "But Hoshi, what exactly is love? You of all people know I do not understand love."

"Love? Love is…I could tell you all the things the poets tell, but may I be candid?"

"I hope you will."

"Love hurts. It's deep in your heart, but then there are bursts of beauty and joy that make up for it. But they are sporadic and you can never tell when they're coming. Please, make certain that this love will have many of those bursts. I have known you for quite some time, five years now. I would be very displeased with our prince if he made you in the least unhappy."

"Well. Then I shall be forever flitting from pleasure to pleasure. I shan't remain pining for love."

"Nay, mistress. Love, when it is as you say yours is, can be wonderful thing. I wouldn't have you give that up for an instant. Keep your love." Michiko nodded, unbinding her hair and rinsing her face to clean it of the paints she wore.

Once cleaned, she kissed Hoshi's cheek. "Thank you for your advice," she said, yawning and going to the bed. Lying down, she fell asleep quickly.

* * *

><p>"You look quite tired," said Princess Yoshiko. "Perhaps you should not go to this war meeting. I could go." Crown Prince Akihito gave her a look of unmasked annoyance.<p>

"You may be my twin, but I have to decline," he said. "Besides, you have lessons."

"Ugh. Lessons. What use have _I_ for learning baton dancing?"

"The first born daughter of the king must always learn baton dancing. It—"

"Is tradition, I know. But you simply must agree that I shan't have much use for it once married."

"And you think I have much use for learning how to fight handling a spear? We must each follow our customs. You know this."

Yoshiko sighed and waved to one of her maids, who came and immediately started to pin up her hair into the two buns on the top of head that a princess always wore. "So exactly where were you yesterday night?"

"My good friend Kaito from the military took me to a party arranged by the courtesan Michiko."

"So you went to a party? I am not certain how much our father will enjoy that fact, dear brother."

Akihito smiled at her and placed his crown upon his dark hair. "If he knows how I found the woman I shall marry there I believe he might."

"The woman you shall marry? And who is this woman?"

"The courtesan Michiko."

"Akihito, you saw her one day a year ago. You cannot decide…you have fantasized about her, have you not?"

"Not in the way you suggest! I merely held her as the embodiment of a fair woman. Nothing more."

"Very well. I hope that this decision is not one you will regret. Now remember, we are to meet with the Chancellor this afternoon." Prince Akihito nodded, and took his leave, leaving his sister to complain to her maid about baton dancing. Before the war meeting, he had to eat, or his stomach would be complaining the whole time and that would not do for a prince.

Returning from the kitchens with a peach in his hand, the Crown Prince made his way to the war room. Handing the pit to a servant to dispose of, Akihito entered the war room. His father, King Munehito, was already there, and speaking to one of his Generals.

"My son is no longer a child, good sir," he said tightly. "What he does is never in bad form to himself and to his family. Therefore I do not have to worry. I suggest that you refrain from insinuating that my son is anything but honorable." The general bowed, murmuring an apology, before moving to his seat. The king saw his son, and waved him over with a smile. Akihito approached and bowed to his father. "My son. Next time you attend a party, do not stay out until the sun is rising. It makes people talk."

"People do little else, father," said Akihito with a smile that matched his father's. The King let out a chuckle.

"Your mother very much enjoys saying that to me. Now come, we have a war meeting."

Unfortunately, Akihito had a bit of a hard time paying attention. His mind was drifting to think of the beautiful woman to whom he admitted his love. And she seemed rather accepting of his love so perhaps…and his father was hitting his knee. His father had been doing that since he first came at the age of thirteen and was unable to focus. It was a quick swat, but no one else could see it and it got the prince to pay attention yet again.

And so, the prince did his absolute best to maintain attention to what was occurring in the meeting. Not that it was going well. He simply could not focus. Thankfully, it was merely informing the two of the royal family of plans to protect them and their people. So Akihito was not expected to pay much attention. And he would get a transcript of what had happened anyway later in the day.

* * *

><p>Michiko never had much she really had to do. That was the perk of being a courtesan. Aside from managing her estate, Michiko was completely free of all obligations. It was wonderful. So, she spent her day wandering her garden, holding a parasol to keep her skin porcelain white, thinking of her prince.<p>

She had taken Hoshi's words to heart, and decided that she would love. And if she did it wrong then Akihito would tell her…right? Now when had she started to think of her prince by his name? That would never do! _Prince_ Akihito would tell her if she loved incorrectly.

"Madam?" asked Hoshi. Michiko turned to the woman who had approached and smiled at her.

"Yes, Hoshi?" she said politely.

"A letter for you. From the Baron Suzumiya." She bowed and turned, heading off. Michiko went to a bench in her gardens, and read the letter.

_My Lady Michiko Ran,_

_At your party this last night, I saw plainly the attraction between you and the prince of our land. And as such I have decided to retract my offer of marriage from the foreground. Should our prince be anything less than honorable in his declaration of love for you, then remember that I shall always consider it an honor to have your hand in marriage._

_I deeply apologize for the bitterness this letter must convey. I feel no such emotion. I am quite pleased that our prince has found love with you, as he very well should given your fine character. I only wish to remain a fond memory, and perhaps a friend if I may be so lucky._

_Your humble and everlastingly obedient servant,_

_Baron Taemin Suzumiya_

Michiko smiled at the message her now former suitor wrote. He was very kind, she knew that from the year he had spent courting her, but it was unlikely that they would ever have any deeper connection than friendship. And that suited her fine.

Standing, the woman swore to write a cordial reply to Baron Suzumiya, and as such made her way to her study. For having very little connections to the actual royal court, she knew how to pen a very cordial reply to a very cordial letter. Which came in very handy.

"Madam?" ventured a young maid, opening the door and curtsying. "You have received another letter." Michiko nodded and handed the maid her letter saying,

"See that this reached the Baron Suzumiya."

"Yes madam." Michiko took the letter offered to her and was left alone again. As the courtesan read the letter her smile grew. Truly, her prince was quite sweet. Inviting her to a private dinner the day after he met her too! What would his father say?

Oh, look, he explicitly said what he assumed his father would say. A giggle escaped her lips. He certainly had a sense of humor too. When had the Crown Prince sent this, anyway?

Michiko penned the single most respectful letter she had ever sent, and sent it off to the Prince, rather terrified of what response she would receive. Not that anyone but Hoshi would notice.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Prince Akihito found his sister sitting and reading a letter before she noticed him. When she did she merely smiled and said, "You certainly have chosen a polite woman to adore."<p>

"You…you stole my letter!" said the Prince. Yoshiko smiled and held it out to her fraternal twin, who snatched it away.

"So, how are those defenses against KÀ going?" she asked, suddenly serious. "From what I heard from father we may actually go to war. And you know I am not allowed into war meetings. No place for a princess they say."

"Kishi," said Akihito, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Father and I are trying to protect us all. But there is only so much we can do. As far as we know, KÀ will not actually carry any threats out. They are a small, weak kingdom. Do you honestly think that they can conquer the Kingdom of the North?" Yoshiko smiled.

"No, I suppose not. I needn't worry with Father around, do I?" She stood. "Mother is expecting me to meet her in the gardens. And who am I to keep Queen Tamako the Serene waiting?"

"Her daughter who would like nothing more than to be a man and in the military like her brother," said Akihito with a smile. Yoshiko's face split into a wide grin.

"And I would be even higher ranking than you!" she poked at his tattoo playfully, before leaving with a grin. Akihito chuckled to himself, glad to have eased his sister's worries, and turned to the letter.

Michiko would come! She would be at the dinner the next day, and he was quite glad of that fact!

A smile crossed his own face, nearly as bright as his sister's at the prospect of teasing him, and he laughed in delight that the woman he loved would come to dinner and that he might be able to introduce her to his family.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So yes. I did actually take a duet from _La Traviata_. The song is titled "Libiamo, ne' lieti calici" and I recommend you listen to it. Especially when performed by Anna Netrebko (a singing idol of mine. WOW is she good) and Rolando Villazó n in Germany. LISTEN. ADORE IT.

The names of this royal family are all real. Emperor Toba of Japan used to be called "His Imperial Highness Prince Munehito" and his son, Emperor Sutoku was originally "His Imperial Highness Prince Akihito." Munehito married Empress Fujiwara no Shoshi whose personal name was "Tamako" Prince Akihito had six siblings and thirteen half-siblings. But one of his sisters was Princess Yoshiko, otherwise known as Kishi.

Fascinating, yes?

And yes, this is KA. But this chapter is...roughly more than five hundred years before the events of the show. Likely closer to a thousand to be honest. Yeah. This is a saga.

My dad gave me the name of the kingdom. I was ranting to him my theories and I said "uh...give me a name for a kingdom or something" and he responded "The Kingdom of the North." so yeah. Here we are.

I really hope you'll put up with this nonsense.


	2. The Worry Begins

**A/N: **Hello again? Maybe? Depends if you decide to read this or not. But I WILL publish this all the way through, gosh darnit!

Okay...I don't know what that was.

Now, you're going to find that we have skipped ahead quite some time. Well if it's good enough for Signor Verdi to use in an _opera_ it's good enough for me!

ALSO! I found that writing disclaimers actually is pointless! the website itself ACTUALLY has legal disclaimers written out so WE don't have to! Gotta love it...

* * *

><p>It had been three months. Three wonderful months since the party when Courtesan Michiko Ran met Crown Prince Akihito Sutoku. They had been formally courting for nearly that time, walking in gardens and having dinners and going to the theater. Michiko was well beloved by the Royal Family at that time. Princess Yoshiko had declared Michiko to be a wonderful woman and said in as many words that she looked forward to being able to call her sister.<p>

And Yoshiko was never wrong. Ever.

Michiko was a common sight in the Royal Palace, talking with the Vizir Tadamichi Fujiwara. He and his wife were also fond of the woman, and were quite pleased with whom the Prince had chosen to court. Not that their opinions truly _mattered _in the scheme of things, but it was nice to have lots of people enjoy the company of a prospective future queen.

Queen Tamako had even said to Akihito one night after he bid Michiko adieu that she thought her to be an exquisite woman and perfectly suited to him. And if the Queen and Princess were in agreement, then there was nothing the King or Crown Prince could do.

And that suited Akihito fine.

* * *

><p>"Esteemed Prince, will you tell me where you are taking me?" asked Michiko as they rode in the carriage to the unknown destination.<p>

"Of course, fair lady. We are going to see an opera," said Akihito. "It is new, written by Takeda Izumo."

"I do very much enjoy his work. Pray tell, what is this opera about?"

"It is a story of young love. Two young men and two young women."

"This is not a tragic story, is it? I have never been too fond of tragic operas."

"Nay, it is a comedic story. My sister attended a performance of it in these last few days. She has been so worried about possible war with the Kingdom of KÀ."

"I understand that fear. It haunts my every day," said Michiko, turning to watch the city go by. "I fear that one day, all that we love about our home will be gone forever. That we shall lose our home and never regain it. All things must die. Who is to say that the death of our land is not at hand?"

"My fair lady," said Akihito, catching her gaze. "I will stop it. I will keep you safe. Do you doubt me?"

"Nay, good sir, I do not. But some things are out of our control."

"I am Crown Prince. Do you see this marking on my shoulder?" He turned his torso so the cut of his robes showing his tattoo was facing her. "I am a General. I will keep you, and all this land, safe." Michiko smiled.

"I do not doubt you." And she did not. She had complete faith in her handsome, dark haired prince to keep her and all his people safe. And King Munehito would be helping too, of course.

At that point, they had reached the opera house, and had made their way to the front of the auditorium, ready and waiting for the opera to begin.

This was the first time that Michiko had accompanied Prince Akihito to an opera outside of a performance exclusively for the royal court and to be honest, Michiko was nervous. Their courtship had doubtless reached the ears of some, through hearsay from servants in the Royal Palace and from her own servants, but there was still that most of the citizens of the Kingdom of the North did not know.

As though he could read her mind, Akihito subtly took her hand, running his thumb over her hand soothingly. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

Soon enough, the play began, and no more were there whispers about her surrounding her.

* * *

><p>Michiko spent the next three hours laughing. The women were masquerading as each other and questioning their lovers of their faithfulness, the men masqueraded as <em>women<em>, and there was singing all around.

Her favorite piece was in the second act, on the beach. They were singing a trio with their nurse. It was a light, bouncing piece sung by the two women (sisters named Shizuka and Ozato) and their nurse (named Oryū). They were singing with a chorus of fishermen-a bright sea shanty of the beauty of the places one can sail to and to let the Orinoco flow (Orinoco being, naturally, the drink of the low classes)! As they were, the two men (princes named Yoshitsune and Yazaemon) and their valet (called Ginpei) hid and watched them. When the song ended, the audience applauded politely, and the two princes emerged from their hiding place. Naturally, the women were frightened, and they sang a bit about it, before getting into a romantic song.

At the end, as expected in any comedic story, they were wed, Shizuka to Yoshitsune, Ozato to Yazaemon, and Oryū to Ginpei. When the opera ended, the Prince and his Lady were the first to leave, as they were (of course) of the highest ranking.

"Sweet lady," said Akihito, the smile still on his face. "Will you come to dinner at the palace?"

"I would loathe to turn down an invitation from you, good prince," said Michiko, a matching smile on her painted face. "Shall we be drinking Orinoco, perhaps?" Akihito laughed at the idea of them drinking the drink of the low class. His laugh was joined by Michiko, who giggled behind her fan.

"I do believe," he said, his words punctuated by chuckles, "that that is why my sister adores you so. You are kind, polite, intelligent, and can make anyone you meet laugh."

"I try."

Michiko took her usual place at the King's Table, between her suitor and his sister, and fell into conversation with Princess Yoshiko about the opera.

"What did you think of the trio on the beach?" asked Yoshiko politely.

"It was marvelous. Did you not think so?" said Michiko.

"I adored that piece."

"Excuse me, but what performance is this?" asked Queen Tamako, her golden hair shining equal to her jewelry.

"Beg pardon, mother. It is the opera by Takeda Izumo, 'For the Love of a Woman.'"

"Ah yes, the same you saw a few days ago," said King Munehito. "And what did you think of it, Akihito?"

"I thought, honorable father, that it was a marvelous comedy completely suited to the tastes of both my esteemed sister and my graced lady," said the Crown Prince.

"A very fine opera then," said Queen Tamako, silently eating her steamed pork bun. "I believe that you must take me to see this, Munehito."

"Of course my love. We shall go as soon as appropriate," said the king with a smile.

Soon, their conversation turned to other topics, such as the emerging love between Baron Taemin Suzumiya and Lady Mulan Hua. And after Michiko excused herself to return home, the royal family too retired.

"Brother," said Yoshiko, catching Akihito up in the halls of their palace. "Tell me honestly. Are we safe?"

"Kishi, you know the Palace is well defended and is heavily staffed with guards and locked—" started Akihito.

"No. Be plain. Will we be taken over by KÀ?"

"Not if I can help it. Kishi, look me in the eye." Her blue eyes met his brown eyes, and a flame of trust was burning in hers. "Do I look like I am lying to you?"

"No…"

"Then be content in that knowledge! I shall keep you safe, even to my dying breath, do you doubt me?"

"Never, brother mine. Never."

"Then doubt me not on this. Whatever is within my power that you require to feel safe and content, I will do. Tell me."

"Just…attend the war meetings and tell me what comes out of them, yes? I want to know how the plans are going."

"Of course. Sleep sound in the knowledge that I will protect you."

"Yes, brother. But do not worry over much. I have always been fearful of war. I know it is silly, we are one of the mightiest kingdoms in the world, but still…there is a fear still there."

"Hold steady, sister." He pressed his lips to her brow, and retired to his rooms, worried over his sister's newfound sobriety.

* * *

><p>"I worry, Munehito," said Tamako, breezing into her husband's rooms, his servants bowing to her. "You never neglected to tell me what came of war meetings, even when they were just skirmishes with the Pechenegs." She wrapped her arms around him from behind. "What is becoming of us? Tell me plain, my love."<p>

"I do not know," said the King, closing her hands in his. "We cannot know. There has been no sign of certain war, but things do not bode well."

"Kishi has been fearful these past few weeks. She has been having nightmares of the end of our kingdom."

"I only wish that a sign of true war would appear, that they would openly declare it. Then I would know what to do. As it stands…I will keep you safe, Tamako."

"I doubt you not, sweet husband. I honestly do not." She let him go, and he turned, holding her close. "I worry for Michiko. She is a fine woman, and she will do our son well, but there is still a worry I hold."

"Do you worry that she will not succeed you well?"

"No, not that." But Tamako would say no more, instead holding her husband fondly. "My bed seems so cold…"

"Then stay here with me."

"Munehito, you know that after the twins were born I am no longer fit…"

"I meant to merely sleep. If you fear and worry so, then stay with me. Being near another might help your anxiety." Tamako smiled, and let her husband lead her to his bed. The two settled in for the night, Munehito pressing a gentle kiss to his wife's shoulder. "Sleep well."

"And to you." Yet Tamako could not find it in her to ease the growing pit of anxiety in her stomach. She knew the appeal of escaping to a comedic opera, but she also knew the reality of having to stay strong in the face of adversity. How else could she have married Munehito, what with all those higher ranking women vying for his eye and all. Tamako closed her eyes, and let one single tear fall from her eye, slowly making its way across her pale face and finally absorbed by the soft pillow beneath her head.

* * *

><p>There was another meeting the next day, to evaluate impending war. Akihito and Munehito sat side by side, watching the only female General (and she had clawed her way to the top against all opposition and was holding that position with iron claws and sharpened teeth, thank you very much) present the current state of their southern neighbor as shown through messenger bird communication with the troops stationed in the south.<p>

"Border patrols have been varying very slightly," she was saying. "Nothing to be worried overmuch about, but the patrols from KÀ have been coming more and more into our land. Just a mile at present and only in the areas where there have been confirmed settlings of the Sauromatian tribe."

"Are they so frightened of a tribe?" asked Akihito.

"With all respect, your royal highness, the Sauromatians are a vicious tribe. They rival the Pechenegs to the North. Rumor has it that a woman of the Sauromatians cannot wed until she has killed a man. It is enough to make anyone wary."

"I see. Do continue."

"Thank you, sir." She continued, and Akihito did not miss the look his father gave him, the frown half obscured by his dark beard. He should have known about the Sauromatians! He was Crown Prince! Where had all his lessons gone?

The meeting dragged on, and once the king ended it, he turned to his son and looked him up and down, saying nothing. That was the worst in Akihito's mind. The absolute worst. His father didn't think him worthy of words, and that alone hurt the young man. King Munehito swept out of the room, followed by the standard set of military men and courtiers, and Prince Akihito left as well.

The prince met his sister just, holding the batons she was to be practicing dancing with. "Brother, what have you to say?" she asked, her worried blue eyes searching his face.

"It is yet uncertain. Border patrols from KÀ have been passing into our land. They pass a mile in at present." Yoshiko put her hand to her mouth, letting out a whine of despair. "But they are merely avoiding a tribe which rivals the Pechenegs in their fierceness. It is not a declaration of war, they have said as much to the soldiers in the south."

"It sounds like one to me. You will keep to your promise?"

"To keep you safe, yes. I will unto my last breath, Kishi, you know this." She smiled a small, frightened smile and took his hand.

"Keep that promise, and keep us all protected. War frightens me."

"The nightmares again?"

"They have never left, brother." His eyes went soft and he took her other hand in his. "I see father killed near every night, our home wrecked and you and Michiko…I dare not say. I fear in self-fulfilling prophecies."

"Kishi, we shall not be killed. Go see the court physician. I am certain she can give you something to sleep without these nightmares."

"Yes. You speak wisely, brother. I shall. Yes." She smiled weakly and left, holding the batons she loathed close, returning to her lesson.

* * *

><p>"Are your fears assuaged, my lady?" asked her tutor, Madam Tokushi.<p>

"Not entirely," said Yoshiko, though offering a smile. "Shall we continue?"

"Of course, my lady." Madam Tokushi was well known as one of the best tutors in baton dancing, so it was only natural that she eventually came to teach Princess Yoshiko. Yoshiko liked her the best out of all her tutors. She had come from the southernmost province, and as was commonly found in the citizens in that area, she would have no nonsense, thank you. And that was something Yoshiko admired greatly.

That, and Madam Tokushi understood her fear for the kingdom as a whole. Being from the south, the idea of invasion frightened her more than someone in the northernmost province. But at the same time, she was not easily scared and, until there was a declaration of war, Madam Tokushi was not going to let Yoshiko whimper in fear about something that didn't exist. It was that strength that Yoshiko sometimes needed.

"Princess!" snapped the tutor in question. Yoshiko stopped, staring at her. "That is not how you spin the baton about your elbow. Have we not gone over this?" Yoshiko smiled. "Spare me the look, princess. You must learn this before you marry! Now, watch me carefully." Madam Tokushi took the baton from the princess and demonstrated, the baton spinning about her elbow gracefully, the Madam's skirt flowing with equal refinement. "Try it like that, your highness. You are graceful enough, we both know this." Yoshiko nodded and took the baton, attempting yet again. It was always hardest to spin around the elbow, Yoshiko found. Though her late aunt (rest her soul!) had always said it was spinning the baton up the arms that was hardest.

She had no time to ponder those things! She had to focus! If she slipped up again Madam Tokushi might very well berate her as one does an errant child.

And, oddly enough, that thought brought a smile to her face.

* * *

><p>While this was happening, the Kingdom of KÀ to the south was gaining support from the smaller kingdoms around it, more manpower and more resources to make weapons. The Song Kingdom and the Qui Kingdom were siphoning all their soldiers and even the volunteers from the villages to support KÀ. They had dreams of grandeur.<p>

The others were only sending a few, enough to say they supported them, but not enough to be loyal. They had no illusions. If their neighbor was going to attack the mighty Kingdom of the North, they were not going to stop there. If they manage it, their king, a man named Shi Huangdi, would be drunk on power. He would be an emperor, and would not stop until he ran out of easily conquered land.

"Anyone who conquers _that _place will not be able to control themselves any longer," they would say to each other.

Shi Huangdi on the other hand, did not think of it that way, and neither did his people. Their ideas were those of a shining, glorious Empire, gained from the knowledge and wealth of the Kingdom of the North and their own glory.

It was a painful reality, but the Kingdom of KÀ was preparing for all-out, cold-blooded war.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Yes indeed. I have notes to give.

Takeda Izumo was a real man. He wrote one of the three most popular Kabuki plays "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura" (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees). Yoshitsune is of course, the main character, and was a famous general in the Ginpei Wars of Japan. In the play, Shizuka is is mistress, so there's her. Yazaemon is a sushi shop owner, engaged to Ozato. And Oryū is the wife of Ginpei, which is a last name (Hey, don't judge me!) and whom a rival general of Yoshitsune is disguising himself as.

Yeah.

And now, two AWESOME tribes. The Pechenegs and the Sauromatians (or Sarmatians). They both come from Slavic history but I love them so shut up. So the area which is now Ukraine/southern Russia was, a good two thousand seven hundred years ago, ruled by the Iranian tribe of the Scythians. The Sarmatians are generally considered to be a subtribe. The Scythians had a few women soldiers, which was what give rise to Amazons in ancient Greek Myth. They also appear in _The Lysistrata _as police force in Athens (which they were, actually) to try and get the women out of the treasury so they can a) continue having their big war with Sparta and b) sleep with them.

But the Sauromatians called their women "The Lords of Men" and no girl was eligible to wed a man until AFTER she had slain an enemy in battle. They would also use the skull as a drinking cup and the scalp as a handkerchief. Disgusting huh?

The Pechenegs were a Turkic tribe (if I remember correctly) which were always attacking Kievan Rus. They were pretty impressive. Grand Prince Sviatoslav conquered from Kiev to the heart of Bulgaria over to the Danube and then back over towards the Caspian Sea and a fair portion north. AND HELD IT. Gives you an idea of his military strength. He also sacked Constantinople. Violently. Now, after conquering Bulgaria, he was going home, where his eldest son was temporarily in charge. He was accompanied by a good two thousand men. The Pechenegs killed him. And according to Nicholas Riasanovsky-they used Sviatoslav's skull as a drinking cup for the Chief. So yeah. Pretty impressive.

Also, Tokushi was an Empress. She was the fourth daughter of Emperor Go-Sanjō and then married to her nephew, Emperor Horikawa (who was Emperor Toba(Munehito)'s father!).

Review, perhaps?


	3. War

**A/N: **Okay, so we have another time skip, but you know, these types of courtships are total blah. It's like a year with nothing. I'm patient, but not that patient.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>It was another three months after the Crown Prince and his lady saw "For the Love of a Woman" before they approached the king in an appeal to marry. Well, of course they waited three months. They could simply <em>not <em>be married before at least half a year was gone—tradition and all that.

Formally, they would approach before the witness of the Court and Queen (and Princess, as Yoshiko never failed to remind her brother) but they would meet in private beforehand.

"Tell me that this has been thought upon for some time," said King Munehito, smiling at the two.

"For quite some time, noble father," said Prince Akihito, turning his own smile towards his lady for a moment. "But as tradition states, we had to wait until now."

"Very prompt. I give you my blessing." Michiko's smile grew and she held Akihito's hand just that much tighter, meeting his eyes in delight. "I suppose the formal approach will be by the end of the week?"

"Of course, father. I love Michiko so much, I simply cannot wait to marry her." Michiko met his eyes and they shared a smile.

"And then, naturally, you will visit the Temple of the Harp." Akihito closed his eyes, sighing in muted displeasure.

"Naturally, father."

"The Temple of the Harp?" asked Michiko guardedly, looking between the two.

"It is a secluded temple, one that only the brothers of the other monasteries and the royal family know about. They reside atop a cliff, hidden, with only a single way to get up it, being pulled up in a harness," explained Munehito. As he did, Akihito folded his lips, closing his eyes with a silent sigh.

The Temple of the Harp always irked Akihito. It was ridiculously difficult to get to, what with having to be pulled up the sheer cliff face by the monks above. And that was at the end of the journey. Apparently bridges just made too much sense to them so you had to venture down the canyon, cross the river at the bottom, call to the monks at the top, pray that they weren't praying, and continue calling to them until they threw the rope down. You tied it around your waist, and climbed up, being assisted by the monks, pulling you up one jarring hand over the other. He had visited the Temple at least six times in his life, and had highly disliked it every time. Of course, Yoshiko adored it and had even been allowed to play the Harp. Such was his fate.

"It sounds lovely," Michiko was saying. Akihito pulled himself back into the present.

"Your betrothed certainly does not hold the same opinion," laughed the king. Akihito smiled tightly at his father. "I must say, good lady, he much detests the climb up the cliff, even more so than his sister."

"If I may, father, I should very much appreciate a respite in stories told from my fair family to my good lady," said Akihito.

"Of course." But they all knew that the stories had only just begun. Especially from Yoshiko, even with her new heaviness.

* * *

><p>"I have been taught the formal request of marriage, Michiko," assured Akihito. "I was taught in preparation of this day."<p>

"Yes, but your sister has assured me that you do not," said the woman.

"Never listen to Yoshiko. Do not let her know I told you that, but honestly, you should refrain from taking her words to heart. Especially in regards to me." Michiko giggled, folding her pale arm through his. The two walked through the court, earning respectful bows. Princess Yoshiko smiled knowingly as her brother approached their father respectfully.

"My dear son," greeted King Munehito. "A fine day to see you."

"Ay, good father, a fine day indeed."

"What brings you before me, good son?"

"I come before you to ask a boon of you, noble father. I wish to marry the fine Lady Michiko Ran." And with that statement, the court erupted into whisperings behind fans and hands.

"You will take your fair lady away from her family who may need her support?"

"Kind king, my family is dead, they passed into the spirit world when the last plague came through our kingdom," said Michiko softly, bowing her head respectfully.

"I see. And so you beg my permission?"

"Yes father, I do," said Akihito. "I would consider it the finest boon you could grant me."

"And thine lady? Have she the same thoughts on that matter as you, my son, my heir?"

"I wish to marry your son so strong as he does me," said Michiko

King Munehito smiled and said, "Then I have no choice but to bestow my blessing upon you both. May the spirits smile upon this union." The prince bowed as deep as his lady curtsied, the court applauding politely on the engagement of the prince. Akihito met eyes with his sister, whose face was aglow in delight he had not seen in at least half a year. It made the glowing bubble of joy in his chest grow even larger, seeing his sister's eyes shine in happiness.

He and Michiko made their way to the gardens afterwards, accepting the congratulations of their friends in the court and even those they didn't care too deeply for. Oddly, Michiko's good friend Noriko was there, and she too offered her congratulations. The two women had embraced fondly, smiles spreading across their faces. Akihito had found only that women seemed capable of that breed of casual physical affection in a friendship. He and Kaito never hugged.

"May I ask as to why you are here?" asked the prince's new fiancée. The two fell into conversation, familiar and fond even with courtly manners (once again, something that only women seemed to be capable of) with Akihito listening. They spoke of Noriko's emerging courtship with the brother of the Vizir, Maro Fujiwara, of the new stargazer lilies in the garden, and other light things.

Eventually, he excused himself, and the two women curtsied before continuing on. The Crown Prince, on the other hand, returned to the palace, to find his sister. She had obviously wanted to speak to him. He wandered the palace, knowing every step but not knowing where his sister was. Eventually he asked her baton dancing teacher if she had seen him.

"Madam Tokushi?" he asked. She turned from where she was admiring a painting of his sister and himself. He hated that portrait, because he had had to stand there for hours, his hand held _just so _while his sister got to sit, hands folded. And the clothes had been far too heavy for the heat that day. "Have you seen my sister?"

"Last I saw her, she was sitting with your parents when you formally asked to marry Michiko," she replied. "She looked happy."

"Yes, she did seem to be so. It is a delight to see that missing light in her eyes once more." Madam Tokushi nodded, smiling herself. Life had grown hard for her relatives in the south. There were whisperings of skirmishes, small fights with small groups of soldiers from KÀ. The only thing at eased Madam Tokushi was the occasional burst of joy in the eyes and visage of her pupil, the princess.

"Perhaps you could see if she has gone to her chambers? I know she enjoys reading poetry in the sun window of her closet." Akihito bowed, and strode to her chambers, going to find his sister. After speaking to her he would have to notify Kaito of his engagement. The man would be so grateful to be notified.

And Akihito _did_ find his sister in her closet, reading the poetry of the time of their great-great-grandfather. He had never had a fondness for the older poetry, but Yoshiko adored it and could not stand his love of modern poetry.

He knocked on the doorframe, catching his sister's attention. She looked up and smiled, going to him and hugging him. "I will have a sister!" laughed the girl, her cheek against the silks on his chest. "Have I ever told you that I wish you were my sister?"

"Many times," laughed Akihito, embracing his sister back. "But, alas, I am one and twenty years old. It is a bit late for me to suddenly become your sister."

"Unfortunately, I doubt it would have happened at all. Such is my lot in life. Will you be going to the Temple of the Harp soon?"

"Soon as I am able. And I take it you want to come?"

"I would love to, but you know I cannot. I must stay here. Madam Tokushi says that I have finally become a master at baton dancing, though."

"Took you long enough," he teased, before Yoshiko flicked his nose with a laugh. "I have not seen you this happy in ages."

"I have not had reason to be this happy in ages," retorted the princess, letting her brother go. "But now I will have a sister and that is reason enough." Akihito smiled at her. "Did you come here simply so that you could speak to me? Or is there something that calls for my attention?"

"I merely wished to speak to you, sweet sister." She smiled softly.

They spent the rest of the day there, drinking tea and talking, Yoshiko teasing her brother and Akihito's new fiancée joining them in the later afternoon. It seemed to the Crown Prince to be just a pocket of joy, something to be enjoyed but there was still the nagging feeling that something would go wrong, and that this moment would be eternally bittersweet to him. But for that moment, that afternoon, he would ignore it, and just be glad his sister was laughing again.

* * *

><p>Michiko was moved into the Palace with little to no fuss, and she settled easily, already having friends at court and not entirely floundering. She spent most of her time with her fiancée, but also spent time with her friends, Noriko when she came, Princess Yoshiko, Lady Mulan Hua, and Duchess Tsubaki Honda. The betrothed couple did go the Temple of the Harp, which Michiko found to be a terrifying trek and never wanted to make again.<p>

As it went, it went smoothly, autumn passing into winter seamlessly, and Michiko and Akihito were married in early spring, when the bluebells were blanketing the ground.

The ceremony took all day, starting in the early morning and ending late that night with a magnificent pageant of martial arts. Michiko and Akihito didn't leave each other's side until the ceremony required them to step away from the other or something. After the pageant there was the wedding procession through town back to the palace for the wedding night. Akihito was secretly (very, _very _secretly) giddy about it, but had to remain in the strict disciplined mould of the bridegroom. Though Kaito, who had been on his left the whole day, knew right well his excitement. Michiko too, though she would be loath to admit it, was excited.

Once the bed had been blessed and they were left alone and the candles blown out…well we should let them alone, shouldn't we?

* * *

><p>The day after the wedding they emerged as equals, as Crown Prince and Princess, heirs to the kingdom. Michiko had near wept when her one day husband was called to an urgent war meeting, and she spent the rest of the day blushing heavily over what her friends giggled about-namely, her wedding night. But blessing of blessings, Yoshiko was equally disturbed and put an end to it soon as she could saying, "If I have to acknowledge that my brother is doing…such things, I would like it to be a fleeting disgust rather than the centerpiece of a day's conversation. And we are ladies of polite society and it is unbecoming of our statuses, bearing, and lineages to giggle over such things that village wives do." And she primly unfolded her parasol and continued on.<p>

No matter what Akihito had to say about his sister, she knew how to put an end to embarrassing conversations. Michiko had a feeling she would either be forever in her debt for that or would have to do the same for the princess when _she _was wed.

It was lunch when Michiko finally saw her husband, a cordial kiss pressed to her hand. She smiled at how easily he fell into procedure, especially after the kisses he gave her the night before.

"Esteemed husband," she said, relishing in the word, "was this meeting so urgent as to rush you away from me?"

"Alas, sweet wife, it is," sighed the Crown Prince. The sadness of the news he carried didn't tarnish the delight of calling Michiko wife. "The Kingdom of KÀ has declared war upon us. They have amassed a fair sized army and there have been whispers of a navy along the coasts. I am sorry." Michiko's innards had frozen. She was the new Crown Princess, it should have been a happy day spent in the gardens with her husband or possibly taking tea with his parents. Instead the worst reality she had been dreading for over a year had come to pass.

She realized she had let out a choked gasp/whine and clutched the arm of her husband, who was running his thumb over her knuckles soothingly. "Did they wait until our wedding to declare war? Did they know it would destroy me?"

"Oh sweet heart. We can match them. We have matched almost all of our foes in the past and we can do it again. You mustn't fear." Michiko nodded, completely unconvinced, but listened to her husband and followed him to lunch.

After, he returned to the war meeting with all haste, following his father and the generals into the room that women were never to enter. With the exception of those women who made it extremely far in their military careers.

* * *

><p>"There is little to worry about," General Toyozawa Fujiwara (cousin of the Vizir). "Our army has always managed to put attempts at war like this to rest."<p>

"On the contrary," General Takara Kōgyoku said, clenching her fists against the table. "We have much to worry about. In the past our opponents were set out to defeat us with minimal support. This time, they have most of the southern kingdoms allied with them. They have equal soldiers as us and though a smaller navy, a highly agile one that has yet to be sunk even by our own."

As the Generals continued to bicker over a course of action, King Munehito turned to his son, making them quiet, and asked, "Son, you have been most recently fighting the Pechenegs and the freshest from battle of us all. What say you?"

"I say," said the Crown Prince, "that we should exercise defense. Protect the harbors and canals and focus primarily on securing our southern border. Six months ago the border patrols from KÀ began to approach our border though we have never been a threat to them. Three months ago they began passing into our lands. We paid them no mind and now they shall feel the brunt of our armies. If they persist, I suggest we advance into their kingdom until we occupy it completely."

"Well said," murmured King Munehito. He raised his voice and said, "Generals? What are your opinions on my son's proposition?"

"I believe that his highness speaks wisely," said General Mihito Shōkō, folding his hands. "It seems to me that our main thought should be to protect our citizens. Their troops are mainly recruited peasants and aren't well trained. If we secure the southern border, they will likely realize the futility and begin to negotiate peace." And so, the plan was brought into action, figuring battalions to send to outposts and battle strategies for when the time called for them.

When the meeting was finished, General Toyozawa Fujiwara immediately set out with his troops to the outposts to the south, sending messenger birds ahead to alert of his approach. Munehito had suggested he go down and defend them, especially if he was so confident in their military. No one had missed General Takara Kōgyoku's smile at that. Akihito hadn't been to a war meeting containing the two in a long time, leading missions against the Pechenegs, but he knew of the rivalry between the two Generals. Everyone in the military did, basically. Well, except for the new recruits, but they knew nothing.

* * *

><p>King Munehito removed his crown and dropped his head into his hands, groaning. He was getting on in years and wasn't exactly happy to have a war on his hands as well as the Pechenegs. No one could destroy them, no matter how hard he tried, and now a new threat was coming from the south. He couldn't deal with all of it. The Pechenegs, the Sauromatians, <em>and <em>KÀ? He would simply go mad from it all.

Running his fingers through his graying hair, he reflected on his new daughter in law. Twenty two, just as old as his own children, and still holding that joy and love that Yoshiko seemed to have lost in the most recent times. It had hurt her deeply to hear of this crushing reality of war.

He loved his daughter, he honestly did, but no man would marry such a sober young woman. And whomever did wouldn't care about her, likely using her to raise his rank. He had once voiced this to her, before when it was just fear of war. She had smiled and said, "Father, I do not plan on being eternally saddened. I fear for war, but once it passes, as I know it will, it shall not hinder my happiness anymore." But it hadn't passed, and with the spring came war.

"Father?" asked the small voice of his daughter. He looked up and smiled fondly at her.

"My dear daughter, what brings you here?" he asked, holding out his hand. She went and took it, holding it to her cheek.

"Father, we are in grave danger, are we not?"

"You say that so certainly." She opened her eyes, revealing the blue orbs she had inherited from him were swimming in tears. "Yoshiko, what is the matter? You are safe!" She shook her head, closing her eyes and letting a tear run down her cheek. "Kishi…come here." He stood, taking his daughter into his arms. "I know that I am closer to you than any of my forefathers have been to their children, but it seems that at times, a princess needs her father to simply be her father. As long as you need me, I shall be here." His daughter pressed her face to his shoulder, shoulders quaking.

"I-If they are to succeed, they will kill us all," she choked. "You, mother, Akihito, Michiko, myself…"

"But they will not. And if they killed myself and your mother, then the Generals would make certain that you, your brother and his wife were spirited to safety. Why do you suppose we keep so many of them on at all times here? Especially as of late?" She nodded, holding her father. They stood there for a moment longer, before the princess pulled away, wiping away the tears.

"Thank you, father. I believe I needed to have prolonged contact with someone I am greatly fond of."

"And it is my honor to be the one you chose to seek out. Now, my princess, shall we go to dinner together?" He held out his arm, and she took it with a smile, leaning her head against his shoulder. The two walked to dinner together, taking their respective seats at the table once they reached the dining room.

* * *

><p>King Shi Huangdi was no idiot, and knew that he would not succeed in conquering the Kingdom of the North through brute combat with its military and navy. True, his navy was agile and his military had gotten a feel of the southern lands, but it was the royal family he needed to worry about. So long as they lived it was a huge problem.<p>

Thankfully, his wife, Queen Zetian, had suggested another method. A small elite team to go the capital and kill the family. Without central power, the kingdom would lack control or order and easily be conquered. It wasn't by chance that she was his wife, after all.

And so the team of a dozen handpicked men were sent out, and had recently sent a message back that the Crown Prince was now married, to Crown Princess Michiko. Another one to kill, but no matter. They would strike soon, and he would know soon as they did.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Woot. So, notes!

The Temple of the Harp is my way of getting the harp in the lobby of the KA theater in because-dude, it's awesome. The Temple itself is based off of an Ethiopian monastery, called Tsion Maryam, where the Ark of the Covenant is supposed to be kept. Tsion Maryam is nearby Aksum in Ethiopia, so if you're ever there...

Now Wu Zetian deserves a special mention. She ruled during the Tang dynasty in China, the only Empress to ever rule by herself far as I'm aware. She supported Buddhism amazingly, so all those Chinese Buddhas and such, that's mainly her doing. Applause to her!

Now I'm asking for a review, and that's not much. Just press the button and type in a smiley/frowny face, if you want. Or a message. I'd like the latter, but the former's okay too.


	4. Exile

**A/N:** Okay, so here's where it all really begins. Enjoy, whoever's reading this.

* * *

><p>When the bluebells faded, and the summer came, Michiko noted that she had yet to have her monthly cycle. When she did, joy passed over her face, lighting her eyes and added a glow to her face. But she had heard of women her age who became infertile as older women with no apparent cause, and decided to see the court physician first, to see if she was indeed going through such a process. She declared her pregnant, and she had rushed to tell her husband.<p>

She found him sitting in his study, pouring over reports from the south. Things hadn't been going well, she found. Well, at least if the constant frown on his face was anything to go by. "Husband?" she asked gently, knocking on the doorframe. He looked up and forced a smile to appear on his face for her.

"My dear wife, why is it you have come to see me? I hope it is a good reason, it seems I could use some in this instant. The securing of our southern border seems harder than first expected," he said.

"Gracious husband, my reason is the most noble and good reason upon this earth."

"Be it your wifely rights to see me whenever you wish?"

"Nay, good Prince. It is the fact that I bear you a child this instant." There was a bit of a blank look before his face broke into a shining smile, rushing to her and sweeping her up.

"A child!" he laughed, spinning her. When he set her down he kissed her with no small amount of vigor. "We must tell the court! The kingdom must be alerted…oh Michiko, you wonderful woman, you!" She too was laughing, a hand pressed to her stomach. And despite what Akihito said, they could not bring themselves to an appropriate level of sobriety to tell of their imminent child. Most royal marriages were impersonal and the news of a child would be smiled about but not a cause for laughter. Their marriage was, of course, like few royal marriages.

* * *

><p>After a good hour, they managed to get to the point where they could announce this event, and went to tell the Queen, as she would be the first to know. She was taking tea with her ladies in waiting, but upon seeing them, she stood and embraced them fondly. "Dear children mine," she said warmly, the light playing on her slightly more grey hair, "what brings you to me? Shall I dismiss my ladies?"<p>

"Nay, good mother," said Akihito. "What has brought us to you must be shared with all the world. My good wife, Crown Princess Michiko Sutoku now carries my child within her." The Ladies of the Queen all cooed in delight, folding their fans and going to the Crown Princess to congratulate her. As they did, the queen reached for her son, placing her hand against his cheek with a proud smile.

"My good son…" She tucked a small lock of blond hair same as hers behind his ear, oddly familial for an instant. Then the spell was broken and she was going on about announcing the child to the world, instantly the professional queen. "…And naturally, we will have a celebration. Good children, what do you think of a pageant?"

"It sounds marvelous, honorable mother," said Michiko, now seated between two cooing Baronesses. Akihito was mainly ignored, but he was fine with that for the time being.

"Very well then. A pageant. Michiko, you must go back and visit the physician again and learn what you can and cannot do while carrying this child. Not a drop of alcohol, do you understand?" Michiko nodded, having heard of the poor babies that were born when their mothers drank.

They were bustled back to the physician and she smiled, knowing exactly why they were there. And as such, she began to run them through what they should or shouldn't do, what she could or couldn't eat, drink, or do. By the end Michiko was never to drink a drop of alcohol until her child (son hopefully) was born. Nor could she do extraneous exercise past her second month pregnant nor breathe in the smoke that some priests used to divine messages.

And as that was being done, Queen Tamako took it upon herself to announce the Crown Princess' pregnancy, as was the mother of the Princes' right. The court had been overjoyed, bells tolled and the news announced to the capital and the news spread to the rest of the kingdom. Everyone was overjoyed, especially the princess, who was already giddy at having a sister and now a niece or nephew? Tears had come to her eyes when she had learned, and she had forgone all propriety when she and her brother were alone, crushing him in a tight hug.

* * *

><p>By the end of the week, they had a pageant. While those around her drank to her health, Michiko sipped at soothing tea, Tisane apparently.<p>

The soldiers were performing their fighting arts, adeptly fighting each other off. They appealed Akihito to join, and join he did, taking the dao blade handed to him and fighting, evenly matched, with Brigadier General Takamiyama Daigorō. Eventually, the military man disarmed the prince, who bowed, accepting defeat with a laugh, returning to his wife. Many courtiers congratulated the couple, Michiko's close friends taking her hands and laughing with her.

Michiko had been presented with a trained bird, one that hopped along the table and ate little bits of fruit that she fed her. She was fond of the little creature immediately, naming him Preen. Yoshiko spent half of the pageant feeding the bird blueberries, giggling as it hopped about her plate.

Eventually, King Munehito stood, helping his wife stand, calling everyone to attention. Those who had been performing bowed and knelt. "My friends!" he said. "My Queen and I are overjoyed. Our son, the Crown Prince Akihito and our daughter, the Crown Princess Michiko have—" he cut off when a throwing knife embedded itself in his neck, a fountain of blood pouring down his white silken robes. Tamako let out a scream, as did Yoshiko, but the queen fell second, another throwing knife settling itself in her breast. While her husband fell under the table, she fell across it, her eyes staring lovingly at her children as the light left them. Akihito brought his wife and sister under the table to hide, listening to the screams as more courtiers fell. Michiko noticed, before she was pulled under the table, that her little bird Preen had also been hit, no doubt from one knife aimed at her.

"Your highnesses!" hissed General Mihito, joining them. "Come with me!" The three did, surrounded by soldiers, a few courtiers, and the royal physician, racing away.

"Assassins from KÀ!" snarled General Takara, her arm holding Michiko's head and shoulders down as they ran. "I knew they would have such an underhanded trick! No time to mourn, princess." The last was directed to Yoshiko, who had tears streaming down her face. "We will weep later. For now…run!"

Eventually they reached the woods in the opposite direction from the capital, rushing through the underbrush until they found a place to hide. They heard footsteps rushing around them, but they kept silent and low, and soon they were gone. A foot soldier looked up, before saying, "They are gone. We are safe."

"Debatable," said Noriko, holding herself, her fiancée having been killed before her eyes. Michiko held her, the two crying, the paints on their faces marred.

Yoshiko looked back towards the palace and let out a muted scream of despair. "They are burning the palace!" sobbed Yoshiko, clutching onto her brother. "Our home is nothing but ashes!"

"We can never go back," said the prince, it all hitting at once. "Never. Oh Kishi…" he held her tightly, letting her sob into his neck.

"Where will we go?" asked Michiko quietly, holding her friend as they cried. "Nowhere is safe…"

An idea came to Lieutenant Seishi Inagaki's face. "The Temple of the Harp!" he cried. The others turned to him. "It's safe, no one can get there…and we could certainly use that right now."

"You have the best memory and I am glad of it, sir," said Akihito, remembering that the man had come with them there, an escort for their safety, just as he was then.

"Thank you, your highness."

"I am not entirely certain that the title of your highness fits me now. We are in exile, to be frank. And right now, we just need to get to the Temple of the Harp. None of you call me, my wife, nor my sister by any royal titles until we figure out our future, understood?" The courtiers, physician, and soldiers nodded.

"Then to the Temple," said Yoshiko, oddly serene. She folded her hands, uncaring of her fine dress as she wiped the paints off her face onto the silk.

* * *

><p>Akihito was <em>never<em> going to forget the screams that echoed that day for as long as he lived. He realized that as he walked deliberately silently with his wife, rubbing his thumb along her hand as she silently cried. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his father buckle in death and his mother fall. Every time he blocked out the sound of the forest, he heard the screaming of his sister, of himself, of Michiko, of the courtiers and soldiers…

"Your—Akihito," warned General Mihito. "Stay low." They crouched and listened. They heard rustling, and two of the soldiers darted forward, stopping when they saw Vizir Tadamichi Fujiwara and his son, Fusasaki Fujiwara. The boy, only eight, was crying slightly, already terrified out of his mind. "Sir Fujiwara, how did you…"

"Great minds think alike, General," said the former Vizir. "I brought my son here so that the coverage of the forest would save him. His mother has died a painful death from a stray arrow, one aimed for the Baron Taemin Suzumiya, I believe."

"I do not doubt you. But you have lived your whole life in luxury and now you are thrown into the wild. You shan't survive. Come with us." The former Vizir smiled his gratitude and his son ran to General Takara, who picked him up and held him. Her viciously repressed fondness for children bleeding through in favor of comforting the poor boy.

"Then let us continue on. It is a long way to the Temple of the Harp, is it not?" said Lieutenant Akebono Tarō. They continued on in silence yet again, staying low as their group had grown.

Michiko hadn't stopped crying. Her poor child, born in exile! He or she would never know what it _meant_ to prince! Poor babe!

Akihito had his arm around her, breathing comforting nonsense to her, and she was thankful for it. She took his hand and smiled at him weakly. She would be as strong as she could about it. But that was not much strength. Still, she would set an example for the poor Fusasaki. She had been fond of the boy back in the palace…before…She closed her eyes. That train of thought would not be pursued for quite some time obviously. It was too painful, hearing her friends shriek in pain and agony, to see the man and woman she had begun to view as her parents stabbed by a throwing knife-the weapon of cowards-it was far too much for her.

But, as everyone had noticed, the princess hadn't shed a tear since she composed herself from sobbing into her brother's neck. She was ever the Serene Royal Highness Yoshiko Sutoku, but that was what hurt them the most. Her face matched those in the portraits they remembered, solemn and pretty but with no life. In her mind, she was deliberately thinking only of the poetry of times gone and how she might express what the forest looked like. She was composing poem after poem to protect herself from breaking down again. Poems that had nothing to do with regal life nor with humanity so that she may not think on her parents.

* * *

><p>They walked on, mournful and silent so that they not be caught, until the sun began to set. Realizing that they needed food and shelter, they divided up the work. Half the soldiers and the prince were to go into town, the courtiers to create shelter with the help of the other half. Then Yoshiko spoke for the first time since she had broken down against her brother.<p>

"You cannot go into town looking like that," she said with no emotion. "None of us can continue wearing silks. Simple as that."

"Your sister is right," said Tadamichi, holding his son close to him. Akihito nodded, and abruptly disrobed. When he wore but his sturdy leather boots and his loincloth, he said,

"Burn the clothes. We travel as bare as this. Far less memorable than silk." The others nodded. The amount of workers who traveled from town to town for work would keep them safer. Michiko retained her shift though, wearing not the usual undergarments for it would constrict her stomach. It seemed that Tadamichi was smart, and had somehow acquired plain blue cotton robes for him and simple clothes for his son. The princess though seemed happy to tear off the red silk kimono in all its unnecessary layers. Left in her undergarments and boots, she grabbed General Takara and walked off into the woods to make shelter.

Akihito sighed. His sister was blocking herself off from emotion. But he turned to his wife and kissed her gently. "Be safe," she whispered, hand going to her stomach a bit shakily.

"Of course, my dear wife." He caressed her face fleetingly before going with the others.

* * *

><p>"Well we lost them," declared one man, wrapped in dark green cloth. "The King will kill us."<p>

"Highly likely," said another. "Well, we did slaughter most of the court and destroy their palace."

"True," said a third. "Shall we face the king as men or as cowards?"

"Let us go back," said the first. "He will send out his troops to get them. We have done our part." The others nodded, and they began their travel home, after sending a message informing the King that King Munehito and Queen Tamako were dead, as well as half the court, but that the military had gotten a good two or three dozen people out. Surely they would be caught and disposed of before too long, though? Their leader watched the messenger hawk fly off and sighed, resigning himself to his death upon his return.

Though, as he would be shocked to find out, King Shi Huangdi had no plans on killing them. Instead, they would lead his army in searching for the escapees, once he named himself Emperor. And name himself Emperor he would.

The former assassins—He Yan Feng, Lee Wei, Liu Rui, Chen Run Fa, Wen Shuai, Xue Hai, and Jiang Qi Lin—were to be named Generals of the new Imperial Army, and each were to send a battalion of soldiers to search for and kill the small band of survivors. A trained army would dispose of them quickly, at least was their hope.

And yet, none of these ideas came from the new Emperor Shi Huangdi. Instead, his wife, the new Empress Zeitan, had come up with the idea. She was from a family largely engrossed in the army, her brother a greatly revered General for the king and her reason for gaining favor with him. She knew how to correctly maneuver an army from listening to the men in her family talk over dinner when she wasn't supposed to be listening.

* * *

><p>The hunted band reached the Temple of the Harp after only a few weeks, sitting at the bottom of the cliff the Temple rested on the whole night. When the sun rose and they heard the bell above calling the monks to prayer, they began to call up as one, to get their attention before prayer began. After a few minutes, the rope was lowered, and the Crown Princess, as she was pregnant, was loaded in first. They had a bit of trouble tying the rope about the tiny bump that proclaimed her carrying of a child, but eventually she was pulled up.<p>

The young monk who pulled her up, Kong Zĭ, was shocked to see what looked like a common pregnant woman there, but helped her onto solid ground and had her sit on a nearby bench before lowering the rope again. He continued, raising a common man who went to the woman and asked if she was alright.

"I am fine," she assured. "You needn't fuss so."

"I just wanted to make certain, my fair wife," he said, pressing a kiss to her brow. "The others are below so you might want to help them up."

They pulled each other up for another ten minutes, and finally they were all assembled, dressed like workers, but the monk noted that many of them were pale as the moon and some had distinctive military tattoos up their arms.

"Excuse me," he said, "but who exactly are you?"

"Hmm?" said the first man he pulled up. "Oh, I am Crown Prince Akihito, well, formerly, this is my wife, Crown Princess Michiko, and my sister, Princess Yoshiko." Kong Zĭ immediately remembered their visit to their temple all that time ago.

"Your highnesses." He bowed.

"Do not. I understand the urge to do so, but as we are exiled I will not let anyone call me by a false name. Considering that it was the kingdom of KÀ, likely now Empire of, that did this, I would like to not be immediately recognizable by the soldiers that the king now likely Emperor Shi Huangdi will send after us to have us killed."

"Please, husband, he would not know," said Michiko. She turned to Kong Zĭ and said, "May we speak with the Father of this monastery?"

"Yes…once Morning Prayer is done," said the young man.

"Of course. We can wait." She folded her hands over her budding stomach and closed her eyes, the picture of courtly serenity. It was only marred by the fact that she looked for all appearances a common woman. Kong Zĭ nodded, and hurried to Morning Prayer.

He knew that no one but the brothers of other orders, the royal family, and their escorts knew of the Temple, so naturally they couldn't be imposters, but the thought that the kingdom could be overthrown so easily…it was highly disconcerting. Before he had joined the brotherhood, he had always been so certain in the power of the royal family, so certain that they could protect the country with ease. Now all that was gone…

* * *

><p>"Prince Akihito?" asked the father of the temple, Lăozĭ. The man looked up, and stood, bowing deeply in respect. "I have been told you came here to seek asylum?"<p>

"Yes, good father," said Akihito. "The Kingdom of KÀ, as far as we know, sent assassins to kill us. They used throwing knives and arrows. My father, my mother, a large amount of the court and military present have all died. We ran away."

Lăozĭ's eyes widened in horror and his mouth fell open just a bit. It shouldn't have been possible! His weary frame, battered from age but strong from prayer, sagged more, his old brown eyes surveying the refugees. One woman was crying, another comforting her, a man was holding a young boy, no older than ten, close to him, keeping an even gaze on him. Princess Yoshiko was staring out where everyone climbed up, no emotion on her face, even as the rest held sadness in their looks.

"I believe," he said, "that if the Spirits spared your life, then you must be destined for something. Perhaps prayer over these next few months will show us what you were spared for. The Spirits may have decided to let you live so that you may reclaim your kingdom."

"Months?" repeated Akihito, no doubt looking for clarification.

"Your wife. She is pregnant. I may not know much about pregnancy, but I highly doubt that she would be able to run at a moment's notice to flee whatever soldiers may be sent after you. In light of that fact, I suggest you spend at least a year with us. It is summer now, so the child will be born in late winter or early spring, I would guess. Not the most favorable time to embark on nomadic life." He offered a smile. "We have rooms where you may stay."

"Thank you," breathed the Prince, taking the man's hand and pressing his brow to it in gratitude. "I will tell the others."

"And I will show you all to where you may stay." Lăozĭ did not like the situation they were thrown into, but he knew that they would survive and that the Spirits would show them eventually why they were alive. Assassins weren't the type to leave those they were charged to kill alive, not without premeditated fate.

"Everyone!" Akihito was calling. "Father Lăozĭ has allowed us to spend a year here, until my beloved wife has delivered our child and she has recovered. He will show us to where we may live in this year." Yoshiko didn't even turn, much to the old man's dismay. Everyone knew of the Princess, how she had been full of emotion, even when weighed down by war.

"If you would follow me…" they followed, all but Yoshiko.

General Mihito noticed, and he went to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and saying, "Yoshiko, Father Lăozĭ is going to show us to where we may stay…"

"It's all gone," she said without emotion. "Nothing matters now. Why should I care where I will sleep this next year? My parents and my closest friends are all dead and no amount of prayer can help it. Why don't I just jump off right here? I would join them."

"Yoshiko," he growled, his hand clenching gently. "You will do no such thing. Did you listen to Father Lăozĭ? The Spirits spared us all. They have a plan. They always do."

"Confound the Spirits," she whispered. "Can the Spirits bring back my mother? My father?"

"Please, just come. You will find as time goes on that the pain will ease." She turned, and he held out his arm. She ignored it and followed the others. General Mihito sighed, but followed after her as well. Yoshiko had once been so happy. Where did the laughing young girl he saw visit his base when he was just a new soldier go?

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Yeah. I just killed lots of people. You're welcome.

So let's talk about a few things. We have Takamiyama Daigorō and Akebono Tarō. They're among the (if not _the_) most successful outsiders to sumo wrestling. Both come from Hawaii. Takamiyama was named Jesse at birth and Akebono was Chad. So you know, enjoy those yellow radishes (a joke for those who watch the TVXQ drama).

Also, the names of the assassins are all either characters or actors in the Taiwanese drama "Hi My Sweetheart" which has THE most adorable opening song ever.

Now we've got them wearing what we see the Archers and Spearmen wear. You look at old Japanese prints (my dad has one from the 1800's) and workmen are wearing what we see the Spearmen wear, and kilts like some of them have aren't uncommon either. Especially with _shinobi_ dyeing, which is what Cirque used to make the Counselor's Son's kilt at least. I'm guessing with the others as well. _Shinobi_ dyeing isn't that hard. It's tye-dyeing.

Also, Kong Zĭ and Lăozĭ. Ancient Chinese philosophers. We know the first over here in the west as Confucius (we made it sound like all the other philosophers over here, like the Greeks and the Romans) and his teachings STILL have hold over China, even though this was during the Warring States Period, which was around 500 BCE. And the latter is the founder of Taoism/Daoism. At least, traditionally, and his teaching were at the exact same time. So have fun with those two.

Please drop a review? I'd love you forever if you did!


	5. The Child

**A/N: **Okay, here we go, fifth chapter! I know that this probably isn't appealing reading for a lot of people, but I don't care.

WARNING! There's talk of childbirth (and methods thereof) and nursing in this chapter. So, if you're uncomfortable with it, I guess you could skip over parts of it.

And, because it's habit to say, I don't own Cirque du Soleil or KA.

* * *

><p>Life at the Temple of the Harp went relatively smoothly for them. They spent time praying with the brothers or hunting for food, usually. Akihito ended up spending most of his days away from the Temple, hunting food for his people and all. Michiko spent most of her days sitting in the Harp Room, talking to her growing stomach, rubbing it as someone played the Harp. Fusasaki and Kong Zĭ often spent time with her in there, the monk teaching the boy how to play the Harp.<p>

Michiko, at a new twenty two, sighed at seeing the young monk and the little boy spending such time together. All that was going on was too much for such young boys. Kong Zĭ was only sixteen, and poor Fusasaki had only turned nine a few weeks prior. The boy was quiet and kept to himself, though there were about eight other children his age which ran away with them.

"Fusa," she called from where he was watching another brother of the order play the Harp. He turned and stood, hurrying over. She was seven months pregnant now, and the boy had taken it upon himself to help her.

"Yes, ma'am?" he asked.

"I have a question for you."

"If it's about those lemons you wanted, your husband hasn't gotten any yet."

"No, it's not about the lemons." Though lemons _did _sound pretty delicious at that moment. Of course, they had for the past three weeks. "I was merely wondering, why don't you play with any of the other children?"

Fusasaki looked down and sat down at her feet, staring at his hands. "All the other children are the children of the nobles. Asano is the daughter of honorable Lord Takeda Tetsuya, and—"

"Former," interrupted Michiko. "We have no titles now, Fusasaki. Remember that."

"Yes, right. But Asano is the daughter of Takeda Tetsuya and Yoshinaka is the son of Kagetoki Kajiwara and…I'm just the son of the former Vizier. When my father dies, if we still had a court, I would inherit no title, no land, and relatively little wealth. I don't want to play with children who are already above me and they don't want to play with anyone below them."

"Now you would be surprised, good child." She placed a dainty hand on his head, running her fingers through his black curls. "As of now, your father is the only person who knows definitely the history of our kingdom. My husband and sister know a bit, but only the history of their ancestors-military exploits and such. Your father, Fusasaki, knows absolutely everything. Learn from him, and you'll be very important when you're older."

"He has tried to teach me such things in the past, but I cannot sit still long enough."

"You have a whole life ahead of you, child. You'll learn." And they fell silent, listening to the Harp contentedly.

* * *

><p>Days after Fusasaki and Michiko talked, the boy asked his father about the history of their kingdom, and spent the rest of the day with him, soaking up as much information as he could. It must be noted that it wasn't a completely noble cause, instead used to put himself at the same level and above the other children so he could play with them.<p>

Don't misunderstand, of course he liked Kong Zĭ fine, but he was much, much older than him, and he just wanted to play with children his own age. The monk was nice, but he wasn't a child.

It was after lunch that the boy looked over and saw Gen—_former _General Mihito walking with Yoshiko, arm in arm. "Father, what are they talking about?" he asked, watching the Princess bow her head and close her eyes tightly.

"I do not know, child. But it is not our business, is it?" replied Tadamichi.

"No, I suppose not."

The two were talking, oddly enough, about Tadamichi and Fusasaki Fujiwara among other things and people. Mihito was very concerned about the princess, wondering where the happy princess he had once known had gone. And so, he tried to break the apathetic shell that had never once faltered.

"Please Yoshiko. Just look at young Fusasaki. He misses his mother very, very much, but he and his father have mourned her and have begun to move on in their lives. Surely you can do the same," he was saying.

"I refuse to forget my parents," said Yoshiko quietly, her eyes shut tight. She wished with all her might that she could just claim rank and make him silent, but those ranks had died with the kingdom.

"They needn't be forgotten. They will never be forgotten, but you must move past your grief. I have seen what it does to soldiers and—"

"I am not a soldier, Mihito, you forget," she hissed, sending him one of the first glares in a year.

"Fine then. Will you have young Nukatabe grow up knowing you as a harsh woman with no emotion?"

That made Yoshiko's glare falter. She loved that baby, the little girl no older than a year and a half, with likely no memory of their past life. But she stayed strong in the face of perceived adversary.

"If that is my reputation for remembering my parents, then I shall take it." They walked in silence for a bit, passing into one of the quieter rooms in the monastery. The children sometimes used it to play in, but they were off at the moment.

"You know," commented Mihito offhand, "in town, there has been talk of Emperor Shi Huangdi's newborn son. Huhai he is called. But a lot of people are already calling him the Second Emperor." And that was it. That was what finally broke through the former princess. She let out a keening whine, breaking into gusty, body wracking sobs.

Her blonde head fell against his chest, and so Mihito held her, torn between many emotions. When he had first visited the palace, a new General, he had first seen the Royal Family in person. King Munehito was immortalized in statues and paintings across the kingdom of course, but it was different. And when he saw the princess, he had no trouble accepting the tales of her beauty and poise. Later he learned that she was a trickster and a laughing young woman, and started to admire her.

And here he was, holding the former princess and stroking her hair to comfort her, and yet he felt no delight. No joy was found in the embrace. She wept uncontrollably for a half an hour, before she quieted, pulling away and wiping her eyes.

"Thank you," she murmured, blue eyes meeting his brown eyes. "I suppose I needed that."

"Every last one of us has needed that," he agreed.

"Catharsis. I should have known."

"Yoshiko, beating yourself up over critical analysis of tragic plays will do you no good," said Mihito, smiling softly at her. She smiled back, one of the few smiles in the past year.

"I think I needed to do that. So I thank you." She then kissed his cheek, turning and leaving. The former General stood there for a minute, shocked, but smiled, and followed.

* * *

><p>Yoshiko was not fully "cured", as t'were, after a tearful half hour, but she began to smile again, making her brother and sister joyous as they had not been since Michiko first discovered her pregnancy.<p>

The Brothers of the Temple of the Harp on the other hand, were not pleased. She began to pull pranks on anyone and everyone, conspiring with the children to get water to fall on Lăozĭ's head or to slip frogs into Yìjìng's bed.

The first time the frogs appeared, Akihito knew exactly what happened, and swept his sister into a crushing hug, the muscles from his time in the military causing her to gasp for air. It was by far the happiest day in many months. If one had looked, one would have also seen Noriko and the former Lord Takeda Tetsuya holding hands quietly as they smiled at the twins.

Around that time, the physician, Miki Ichinose, began to talk to the expecting couple about birthing methods and which way they should prefer. It was extremely awkward for poor Akihito, but he knew it was necessary and refused to speak more than he absolutely had to. Yoshiko was there for some reason, and was giggling about his blush.

"Aside from traditional birth lying on a bed, you can give birth standing up, crouching, or in water," Miki was saying.

"Water?" echoed Michiko worriedly. "But would that not drown the baby?"

"Actually, you will find that when you enter childbirth, what seems like water will—"

"Miki, I hate to interrupt, but I do believe that some of the children are listening outside," murmured Akihito. "It would be wise, I believe, to keep all extended speech until another time."

"Smartest thing you've said yet!" said Yoshiko happily, making them all smile.

"Either way, Michiko, the water would not harm the child. Some mothers say that it encourages the child to come quicker and it helps ease the pain."

"And the others would all hurt?" asked Michiko.

"Well, sometimes. In this case, I'm sad to say that this area has few herbs that could help ease the pain. As a result, women in the village are more prone to take childbirth in a warm bath."

"I see the intelligence in that decision…very well. A birth in a warm bath."

"Do you have anything to offer?' asked Miki, turning to Akihito, whose face was still bright red.

"No, Miki, I do not. I will be fine saying no more." The women each smiled at him and his dignified embarrassment. "Now if you would excuse me, I have to leave and get away from this conversation." He stood and left, opening the door and revealing a small crowd of children, who squealed and ran away from the red faced unofficial leader of their exiled group.

"I do so wonder what sort of conversations they will have with their parents," giggled Yoshiko, watching them scamper away. "Poor Asano already has her father consorting with Noriko Mitsui and all…"

"Kishi, please refrain from insulting my friend," said Michiko as she was helped to her feet with a grunt. "And please find out if those accursed lemons are here yet."

"Have you eaten all of the ones your husband brought already?" asked Miki.

"I would thank you not to criticize me, Miki."

"I suppose I shall never receive that thanks then, will I?" The former crown princess rolled her eyes good naturedly, and began wondering when she had picked up that trait from Kong Zĭ.

* * *

><p>"What's happening?" asked Asano, trying to push her way into the crowd of children outside the door.<p>

"Lady Michiko is having a baby," said Fusasaki, turning to her. She made a face and he made one back.

"Why is she screaming? Does it hurt?" asked Nasu, his ear to the door.

"Don't you remember?" said Kagechika. "Miki said that there's nothing to dull the _pain._ Of course it hurts!" All the children were crowded outside the room that the Brothers had blessed for the birthing, listening and a few leaving when they got too disturbed. The boys had all dared one another to stay, so only one, little Haruma Miura, left.

The women were all inside with Michiko of course, a remnant from the birthing traditions of the court, and all the men were sitting in another room, each head turning in unison as Akihito paced. And each and every group was uncomfortable. In the Kingdom, births were a social thing. Inner circles of the court attended, men and women talking as they observed the birth. Of course, then the young woman Miki became royal physician, straight from the west and full of odd ideas about childbirth. Birth in water, birth standing, and keeping observers out of the birthing room.

Now though, no one really felt like they should be defending the old ways, what with the old ways long dead and all. They had all accepted it months ago.

After four hours, the children were sitting outside, the younger ones napping, and the older ones holding the younger ones. The women inside were assuring Michiko that there was _honestly_ one little bit left. Akihito, in the other room, had actually sat down, running his hands through his hair.

"Does it often take this long?" he asked.

"Some are born after a full day, I have heard," said Takeda. That did not encourage the former Crown Prince at all, who moaned. At the end of the moan came a knock at the door. It opened to reveal Brother Yìjìng. He was smiling broadly.

"Akihito? The birth is over." He was going to say more, but the man was out of the room before another word could be said. The monk blinked in surprise, but didn't question the man's sudden flight.

* * *

><p>"I was told the birth was done," said Akihito, bursting into the room, the children peering in.<p>

"And it is," agreed Miki. "You have a son." She waved him to his wife. He went to her, grinning, and disregarding her nakedness, he kissed her. Michiko was feeding the baby boy, who was a bright red. His nursemaid used to say that he and his sister were born yellow and purple, but he never quite believed her.

"What are we to name him?" Michiko looked at the baby for a long moment before saying eventually,

"Norihiko. Handsome little Norihiko." The women had all ushered their children and the children they had come to look after away, citing the couple's need for privacy among other things that they would tell them once older. Miki and Yoshiko, were allowed to stay, happy smiles on their faces as they watched the glowing couple.

It was a few minutes before Miki found that she had to interject. "If I may, I still need to bathe the child. There is wisdom is letting the mother and child have skin contact after the first instant of life, but we really need to clean him up," she said. The parents looked up, a bit startled, but handed her the baby. As she bathed the child, she could hear Yoshiko going on about how she needed a niece and how happy she was for them. Miki smiled. The woman didn't know how many times her siblings were going to push their child onto her so they could just relax. "Michiko, I have things I need to talk to you about, things we know your husband shall not be happy to hear about. They concern feeding your child."

"I just fed him though, Miki."

"Yes, but as time goes on, I'm afraid that you will come across some events which may concern you. You are free to visit me whenever these things may come up."

"Can one of these things include Yoshiko being a bad influence to my children?" queried Akihito, letting dry sarcasm leak into his tone, making his sister make a face at him. "Really? Are you not a bit too mature for that?"

"You're not one to talk, being immature mentally," quipped the Princess.

"Can we not fight in front of the baby?" sighed Michiko, rising from the water. Her husband helped her dry herself and dress in her undergarments. Or…garments as it has become. When he offered her the slip, she declined. "I wore that so that I could let Norihiko grow without constriction. I shall wear this from now on, thank you." He smiled and kissed her cheek as she took her son back.

The baby seemed to recognize his mother, and settled, falling asleep. "Sleep, my little prince," whispered Akihito, brushing his lips to his brow.

* * *

><p>"Why won't the little prince sleep?" grumbled Akihito, not even moving. Michiko on the other hand, smiled, and got up from where they were sleeping, and picked up the baby from the small bed created by cloth, straw, and a box. Since the baby was born, they had gone through many challenges: nights with little sleep, excess milk, the thought that she suddenly didn't have enough milk, being strictly lectured on not letting the mother drink any alcohol or certain types of tea while feeding, and other such issues. But by the third week, Michiko's instincts had kicked in full force, and she knew what to do better than her husband.<p>

Making herself comfortable, she held Norihiko close and let him begin to feed, closing her eyes and singing very softly. She had found that singing helped the baby and herself remain calm and relaxed, something that she needed to be to feed him.

On the plus side, during night feedings like that one, it also helped her husband fall asleep so he could deal with the baby while she slept during the day.

Norihiko really liked music, she realized, humming what was instrumental. The Harp Room was his favorite room, and to listen to the songs of the monks during prayer made him quiet and content. Unless gassy.

The contented snores of her husband reached her ears and she almost began to envy the man for sleep. She would be up for about an hour with the baby, so she would be tired during the day. Being a mother in this environment was hard. Had they been in court yet, she could have handed Norihiko to a nursemaid and had no problems.

The thought of that sent a burst of protectiveness through her, adjusting her hold on the baby. How could she not let herself hold the child and feel him take his meals? How could she not carry him with her through the day, passing him to Takara to let the woman smile at the baby and to coo over him with Noriko as the man who was quickly becoming her suitor smiled at them both?

Apparently, motherhood brought new facets of her character that she wasn't even aware of until that moment.

"Little prince, are you full?" she asked softly as the boy let her go, gurgling happily. "Let's just get the gas out of you and get you back to sleep, alright?" Remembering her instructions, she held the boy and bounced him until a small noise exuded from her son, indicating he was finished.

She had been wary of letting the baby sleep by himself in the bed, having been told in calm words about how babies could die with absolutely no reason in the night, especially during cold months. But after a bit, she became more comfortable with the idea, once finding what she could do to prevent death for her baby.

Laying her son down, she returned to her husband, laying beside him and quickly falling asleep. Sleep was a blessing ever more and more. Thankfully, their friends and family understood that and would take care of the baby while the couple finally slept.

* * *

><p>"Michiko?" murmured Noriko, shaking her friend awake. "Come on, dear, wake up." When the woman did, her friend smiled. "Your husband is having a panic attack trying to deal with the Little Prince."<p>

"Has he tried going to a crowded place? Norihiko is sociable." She sat up, blinking sleep from her eyes.

"Yes, he has. Changing his child's wrap and everything."

"Perhaps he is hungry. Very well." Standing, and still marveling at how wonderfully easy it was, Michiko followed her friend, finding her husband trying to calm the boy, and took her son from him. "Noriko woke me. Be glad I have milk." And grateful did he look. Retreating to a corner to feed her son, she watched as the others interacted.

The main courtyard had long been the socializing area, even in the time of bitter cold. How odd, she thought, that in just nine months, they had thrown all ceremony to the birds and had begun to take up archery and spears, the single easiest to craft of all weapons. Yoshiko had continued her baton dancing and swore that that little bit of tradition would remain. Thus, the need for a niece and soon.

Michiko liked her little corner, she could observe with no one watching her. She could see Noriko and Takeda among others grow closer and closer though they mourned those they lost and she could make certain the children didn't get too close to the edge where they came and went from. Her husband had been declared the leader unofficially long ago, so she took it upon herself to become the mother of the group-to protect and nurture as it were.

The dull pain from losing their home would never vanish, she knew, but if Yoshiko was any example, they could all manage the grief and perhaps move on. She had heard women whispering to their dead husbands before they went to sleep and men whispering their wives' and sisters' names almost as a prayer in the past, but now there seemed to be a future for them. Not so bright and glorious as it had been in the past-the promise of power and luxury and ruling-but it was a future, one they could happily live with. It wasn't perfect, but they could adapt.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Not happy with this one. I wrote a first version, but I lost it. So, I wrote a new version, which I'm not a huge fan of myself. Let me know what you think though. Even anonymously.

Okay, so motherhood websites are the BEST. They go into detail without making it uncomfortable, and don't spare anything. They go week by week and month by month, oh it's great for my purposes.

Also, Yìjìng was a real monk. He lived during the Tang dynasty in China and traveled to India to study Buddhism. He also shares a name with the earliest known method of Chinese fortunetelling/philosophical thinking. Yeah.

If you'd like, review. If you don't, well I'll update anyway.


	6. Homes

**A/N: **So here we are, with another chapter and a new outlook. Some new look at the king in the south and an odd difference.

So I get that no one is reviewing and few are reading this, but I'm planning on getting this thing done. And nothing but death can stop me. So _neh!_

* * *

><p>Summer came again, and they left the Temple, thanking the brothers and apologizing for everything as they were lowered down. Akihito was the last, but he was stopped by Lăozĭ.<p>

"Akihito," he said warmly. "You are going to lead your people into one of the most dangerous lives in the world, the life of running from the reigning monarch. But I believe firmly that you can do it, and do it well."

"I thank you sir," said the former Crown Prince, bowing his head.

"There will be challenges. Go into the village and ask the blacksmith for tents. I have asked him to keep them safe for you for when you leave. Shelter is a must." He went on to give him a small pouch of coins and point out that they were still highly searched for.

"You are very kind, sir. I only wish that I may repay you someday for all your kindnesses."

"There is no need. When you leave here, go east. There is a thick forest a day's journey from here, where you may be safe. Tales of spirits keep most away." Akihito bowed and took the rope from Yijīng. "Oh, and one more thing." He turned. "When your people grow too old or are invalid in some form or another, bring them here. We will always offer you asylum." This time, Akihito bowed even deeper.

When he reached the bottom, he was asked what took him so long, and he relayed all the information, the instructions, that the Father of the Temple had given him. He and Tadamichi, of whom he was growing increasingly fond, went into town to follow the instructions of the Father. The Blacksmith, a middle aged man with five children, did indeed have the shelters in large packs that could be held on the back. "There is food in there," the man said kindly. "You won't be used to hunting yet, I thought, so I made it a bit easier for you."

"And we appreciate it immensely, sir," said Tadamichi with a smile.

"Father! The bellows!" called a young man from inside the forge.

"I am coming! I just wanted to say, that even though this is technically the Empire of KÀ, I will always think of it as the Kingdom of the North."

"And we thank you for that." Akihito, who was holding most of the packs nodded with a tight smile-the kind brought on when you carry something very heavy. The blacksmith nodded and returned to help his son. "Do you need me to take a few more?"

"No, no, I can manage," he grunted, starting out. "Besides, I can give some of these to the others." The older man smiled, and followed him.

* * *

><p>When they reached where the others were waiting, the packs were spread out among them, and they set off to the forest.<p>

"How did you manage to carry so many?" asked Michiko, walking beside her husband. Norihito was asleep in her arms, and so they spoke quietly.

"Not exactly the easiest task I have undertook," admitted their leader. "A lot of struggle was involved. But now we have shelter."

"Yes, yes we do. And archery and spears to protect us." She smiled down at her son. "And an heir to succeed us." Looking at her husband she asked, "What are we to do? Just wander?"

"I…I do not know. I was not raised to lead people in this fashion, Michiko. I know how to handle an economic crisis or sooth anger among citizens, but not how to lead us. We are being searched for by the Empire."

His wife placed her hand on his arm, the warmth from it soothing him. "We will puzzle it out, dear."

And they fell silent, listening to the conversations of those behind them. They were hopeful, considering. It was good to know that those left of the old ways weren't going to be hung up on them, and instead press forward willingly. The children were the most adaptive, and while they remembered life when they wore silks and jewels, they said they loved the free movement just wearing undergarments gave. And if the fact that they were playing tag as they made their way to the forest was any hint, they had very highly disliked the heavy clothes and customs of court.

Fusasaki was walking with his father, begging to know even more about the history of their kingdom, and as he did, Michiko smiled at him, remembering their conversation when she was seven months pregnant with Norihiko. Tadamichi was insisting that he knew everything he could teach him, but the boy wanted more. The boy was almost nobly selfish in his desire to learn everything so as to be equal with his playmates. No one could find it in them to condemn him for his selfish actions.

In the back, the only non noble person who escaped, a maid named Yuriko Ishida, walked along silently. She couldn't bring herself to interact with them, never could. She had just seen them running from all the death and followed, getting scraped by an arrow but making it alive. Yuriko had been very quiet, and spent most of her time praying while at the Temple. Now though, she was at a loss of what to do.

"Are you alright?" asked a voice beside her. Yuriko turned to see Takara standing there, a pack on her back and a smile on her face. "You and I are the only women to have taken these packs. How are you doing with yours?"

Yuriko, though, could not manage a single sound. To have a (admittedly former) _General_ speak to her in context other than an order, she didn't know how to respond. Before she would have bowed and gone to fulfill whatever she wanted, but now that they were considered equals…

"Your name is Yuriko, correct?"

"Y-yes ma'am," she stammered, glad to have some semblance of rank. The way she spoke…

"I must ask you not to call me that, Yuriko. We are the same level, now." Well, there that went. "I asked how you were doing with the pack and you did not give me an answer."

"I-I apologize. I am doing quite well with it. I worked bringing out food for meals, so I have amassed a bit of muscle." Takara scrutinized her a moment before saying,

"Have you ever spoken to anyone who was not at your level?"

"The brothers at the Temple spoke with me often, and I have fulfilled many requests back at the palace."

"But never spoke. Well then, hello, my name is Takara Kōgyoku. Who are you?"

"Yuriko Ishida."

"It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance. May I have the honor of introducing you to the others?" Yuriko nodded, and Takara took her along, introducing her to everyone as though simply at a garden party.

Noriko smiled, watching Takara help Yuriko feel more at ease. The woman certainly knew what she was doing whatever she was doing, she had learned that over the last year. She held the hand of the man whom she had grown to (and though she only ever said it in her mind) love, walking with him to this forest Father Lăozĭ swore would keep them safe. On her other side was Miki, who was watching Michiko and her son with quick calculating eyes, assessing the baby's health.

"Miki?" she asked. The physician turned, brown eyes meeting her own green. "I meant to ask you. When my mother bore me, she drank a bit of alcohol and I am fine. Why did you then forbid a single drop to Michiko?"

"Ah, yes," said Miki. "A little alcohol, depending on the quantity and what it is, can do a child no harm. But the chances are against it. As a rule, I discourage any and all pregnant women under my care to drink any. The child born with alcohol is far more unhealthy, and very well may die within the first day of life. It is merely a safety precaution."

"I have heard the same when Kaoru was pregnant," said Takeda sadly. Thinking of his late wife still saddened him, but not so much as it had just a few months prior.

And that was how they travelled the rest of the day, stopping to eat or to relieve themselves alone, slowly, slowly making their way to the forest.

* * *

><p>Shi Huangdi wasn't a cruel man. He was simply ambitious. When he saw a chance to create an Empire, he took it. And how happy his wife looked. Shi Huangdi loved his wife and adored his son, doing the best he could for them both. And that was why he brought them to the Summer Home that used to belong to the Kingdom of the North. It was famous for its luxury and beautiful surroundings.<p>

Huhai wasn't a fussy child, and so he and his nanny, a woman named Yun Hao, were allowed to ride with him and his wife in their carriage. And though she could not bond so overmuch with her son as other mothers in the towns and cities, Zetian loved her son very much and held him when she could, private from prying eyes of the public and their court.

"How far is this summer home?" Zetian was asking, tickling her son. Shi Huangdi smiled at them fondly, cracking his knuckles slightly as he did when bored.

"Just up these hills, I believe," he said, looking out the window. It was beautiful, the high rolling hills with the horses that had been kept there for five generations grazing. He could imagine it on a sunny day, but as it was it was actually rather foggy, and that saddened him, because his wife might be unhappy.

But the carriage was climbing the path up the hills, and Zetian seemed to be eager to watch the landscape go by. The fog was of no consequence to her. It was a long way up, the road twisting along, and then, they passed through the fog. It was light, but it was enough to make Shi Huangdi uncomfortable. Huhai didn't like it either, and fussed in his mother's arms, quickly taken and calmed by Yun Hao.

"I suppose he dislikes the fog," Yun Hao said. She was met with polite smiles. And then they came _above _the fog in time to see the summer home they were going to. It was beautiful. Architecture like the eastern countries, with tall trees all around it. All in all, it was gorgeous, and Zetian agreed if that gasp of delight was anything to go on.

It was another five minutes before they arrived, and immediately, the Empress was rushing forward, demanding to know everything there was to know about the furnishings, the size of the kitchens, the state of the library, and so on. And Shi Huangdi followed, smiling fondly at his wife. He may be an Emperor now, but he had once been a simple king, and that, he felt, gave him right to be so "casual" with his wife.

Lunch was taken in the gardens, Shi Huangdi informed by his wife about the state of the home. The private library reserved for the Master on the third floor, the public library on the second, the three cottages for guests and the fifty guest rooms in the main house. The art gallery, the maze, the ballroom, so on and so forth. Zetian got very excited at that sort of thing, and Shi Huangdi was happy to let her go on about the lovely new home. There was even a small prayer hall, one that had been scheduled for expansion. Of course with the…loss of King Munehito, it hadn't. Shi Huangdi was a religious man, though, and made a note to have the prayer hall made larger. He knew that they would be entertaining there, and they would like to give their guests a place to pray, should they want to. Besides, the new empress was claustrophobic, and from her description it was enough to make her panic.

After, the two had toured the whole estate, finding everything just as those who worked there described to Zetian. There was even a place to train in martial arts and baton dancing. Of course, there was little need for that, so perhaps it could be changed into something else.

All in all, it was a wonderful home, and the Imperial family would likely come there quite often during the summer. Huhai even found the nursery quite suited to his needs, at least best they could tell from the baby.

* * *

><p>"Alright," Akihito said, as everyone grouped, having set up the tents. "Might as well have a head count." They all nodded andor shrugged. "Takeda Tetsuya?" he raised his hand. That would be an emerging pattern. "Asano Tetsuya? Mihito Shōkō?" and on it went, until everyone but Yoshiko was accounted for. "Where is she?"

"She is…reliving herself," said Mihito carefully. That was awkward. Nevertheless, now that all two dozen were accounted for, they fell into the same tasks as they had had at the Temple. Except Akihito remained, and going to Tadamichi.

"May I speak with you a moment?" he asked. The older man nodded, and his son ran off to go visit Michiko and Norihito. "You counseled my father, when he and our kingdom were both alive."

"Yes, I did," said Tadamichi. "I did my best, though it seemed not to be good enough."

"You did fine, sir. I was merely going to ask you if I might beg your counsel so long as we are exiled."

"That might be for the rest of our lives."

"I am well aware of that. But I think that as the former Crown Prince, I carry a heavy responsibility in keeping these people safe. I have a baby son and I will not have him grow in constant fear. But I know not how to lead out here. I know only how to rule."

"And so you wish to hear my advice."

"And guidance." Tadamichi smiled and bowed his head.

"I would be honored to help protect our people. I shall help however I can." Akihito smiled. He admired Tadamichi. The man had been a pillar of strength in the early days. He had not been _overly_ close with his wife, and while he had been sad at her loss, he had been strong enough to help all the others. And through it all, he was practical, no nonsense and yet almost lighthearted.

"Father, Takara says I cannot hold Norihito because I would harm him," said Fusasaki, tugging at his father's blue robes. "But I would not and she does not believe me. Will you tell her I can?"

"I am certain that if you just ask Michiko she will happily let you."

"But Michiko is napping and Takara is taking care of Norihito and I do not wish to wake Michiko." Tadamichi smiled.

"Excuse me, Akihito, but my son seems to have his heart set on holding your son." Akihito smiled and nodded to them both as they left. That boy was sweet, but a little selfish. It was no different than any boy his age, and Akihito found him all the more endearing for it.

* * *

><p>Through the next few days, the Imperial Family watched the summer home be filled with their own favorite pieces of art as they went about their business. Shi Huangdi had three of his most trusted guards with him at all times after the last assassination attempt, and Zetian had asked to have her lady maids searched for weapons before helping her dress. One was caught with a poison dagger and taken away to imprisonment, but the rulers felt happy and for the most part safe. They would have to return soon, but they loved this home while it lasted. They would return, and entertain, but this was merely to assess the home themselves.<p>

"My lord, your wife," informed one of the Emperor's guards, a man called Jie. Zetian entered the Emperor's private library, and when she did, her husband rose to greet her, kissing her fondly.

"My dear, what brings you here?" he asked fondly, taking her hand.

"I wished to see you, is that such a crime?" she asked with a soft smile. "And possibly read a book."

"My dear, these are military theory books, mainly."

"Husband, you know full well I listened to my brother and father before I married you. I find military procedure fascinating." He smiled and nodded, returning to his documents on taxes and foreign friendship as his wife selected a book.

"Zetian, should you not be attending to your schools and charities?" he asked, reviewing the appeal to lower taxes in the northern provinces to foster good feelings to the new government.

"I will finish later. I have already begun and finished the policies on the widespread scholar gentleman's schools and I am having the paperwork on the orphanages brought in as soon as possible, which just happens to be in an hour."

"I really must find out how it is you do it. I have barely finished anything on taxes in the north."

"The north is a bit tricky. What I am most concerned about is their continued loyalty to the surviving nobles and royals."

"Zetian, have you been paying no attention? Battalions are searching for them so as to avoid that same continued loyalty."

"It's not easy, being the first of a dynasty." And the two lapsed into silence, turning to books or paperwork. That silence lasted until Shi Huangdi's guards entered, escorting Yun Hao and Huhai, who was crying.

"What has happened?" demanded the Emperor as the Empress took her son.

"There is a group of extremists here," said Jie. "They have already tried to set the nursery aflame and there is obvious intent to do you harm." Their guards ushered them to one of the hidden rooms, where Zetian held her little prince close, murmuring quietly to him so he would calm, and remaining mostly silent.

There was a crash, and Shi Huangdi stood in front of his wife and son, ready to protect them. The last few attempts had not nearly been so terrifying. They remained there, hidden for a good hour and a half, until the door was opened and a guard stood there. "The threat has been taken care of." And Zetian sighed in relief, tucking a lock of her curly black hair behind her ear and holding Huhai close.

"Sweet prince, you are safe…" she breathed, sweeping her thumb over his head.

"There has to be change," said the Emperor, emerging. "This cannot continue. I will not allow it." He sighed, and looked around at his guards. "What was the damage?"

"One of the cottages has been nearly destroyed," said another guard, called Xin. "The nursery has some scorching from before the fire was put out, and the walls have a little damage to them."

"I see. Zetian, how would you feel about returning to the palace now?"

"I am a bit fearful of remaining," she admitted. "I have nearly been killed here twice. The palace does have slightly better security, I find."

"And this property is sufficient that we could return."

"Yes." Yun Hao took Huhai back from the Empress and kept her head bowed, removing herself from their conversation. "I would leave as soon as I could." He smiled at her and turned to one of the guards at the door and said,

"We shall be returning to the palace. Please have our belongings packed and our carriage readied." He bowed, and left. The Imperial couple, shaken, could not return to their work easily, and so remained in the library with their son, merely playing with him or reading until they were ready to leave.

* * *

><p>Dinner was made from what was left of the packed food from the Temple, three rabbits, and a large selection of berries. Akihito and Tadamichi had gone off to speak with each other about how to survive, while the others fell into their regular designated groups. Takara had dragged Yuriko to sit with her friends, and the woman was becoming more loose with everyone, and it seemed to hearten the former General who had named herself Yuriko's guide and friend. Yoshiko and Mihito were sitting together, talking while he whittled her a pair of batons.<p>

Fusasaki sat with Michiko, talking avidly about how amazing it was to live in the forest. He had always thought it would be amazing from hearing all the epic poetry, and now he got the chance. Michiko, on the other hand, was laughing at how excited the boy was about exile. It was actually quite amazing how the ten year old boy (and all the other children) found the good in all situations.

"Michiko?" asked Noriko. "May I speak to you?"

"Of course," said the "mother" of the group. "Fusasaki, would you hold Norihito for me?"

"Of course!" said the boy, eyes shining. He had taken it upon himself to be a sort of big brother for the baby, promising to protect him and everything. The women walked off together, until a little ways away from the fire.

"What is it, Noriko? You look worried."

"Just…the tents," said the former courtesan.

"What about them? Are you not happy with them?"

"No, no, life at the Temple has eased me away from luxury. I'm simply worried about the fact that…well, Takeda and I are…you know, and I was wondering if you thought it would be frowned on if I stayed with him and his daughter…"

"I…think not. You two are, for lack of a better word, courting, and in this odd state of living we have been forced into, we should have no problem, here. This forest is a safe place, Noriko, do you not feel it?" It was a sense Michiko had, a sense of security emanating from between the trees. It felt oddly secure. "This is a place we can take risks and be safe in it. Stay with them."

"I honestly do not know how you can be so secure in us and this place. You and the children seem so optimistic about these woods." But the wavy haired woman smiled at her and hugged her before returning to sit with her suitor and his daughter.

"Things are going to change quite a bit, Fusasaki," said Michiko knowingly, joining him again and taking her baby as they finished their food.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **The summer home was based heavily after the Hearst Castle in California. That's about all I can say now.

Well, except that I don't own the Hearst Castle or even like...volunteer there. I mean, I'm in Minnesota. And watching a bad movie. So, yeah...

Review? Make my day? and my life?


	7. Asylum and Engagement

**A/N: **I would have had this out earlier, but I had to find a book on herbal and natural medicine-found both obviously-and so here you go.

I don't own anything.

* * *

><p>When Norihito was one year old, he was walking and they were living in the mountains. When he was two, he was talking and they were living in the plains. When he was three, his mother gave birth to his baby sister Hiroko and they had moved back to a forest. By the time he was five years old, Norihito was more comfortable playing with the teenage Fusasaki than he was the child near his age, the son of Noriko and Takeda Tetsuya (he was a year younger than him and named Yoshitsune).<p>

But Fusasaki didn't always play with the five year old boy, his eye catching Asano Tetsuya more and more often. At fifteen, he was considered a man, and spent more and more time chasing Asano than playing with Norihito. And the younger boy couldn't understand why! She was a _girl._ And girls were disgusting.

His mother once told him that just before she gave birth to him, Fusasaki had spent all his time playing with someone six years older than him before making friends with those his age. "So," she had said, "you shouldn't worry, you'll make friends soon enough." Norihito had thought best _not _to point out that the only one close his age was Yoshitsune and he didn't want to play with the babies. But Hiroko didn't count because she was his sister. Which was why he was playing with her that day.

Norihito was tickling his sister, watching her giggle and smiling himself. His aunt had claimed her to be her student once she was old enough, and his father's friend Takara had declared her to be _her _student so there was a small battle going on between them.

"Aunt Yoshiko asked mama if she could kidnap you to keep you away from Takara to teach you, Hiroko," he said, holding her hands and waving them about. "But I'll keep you safe. Like Tadamichi keeps daddy safe." His mother was just a ways away, speaking to Mihito quietly. They talked a lot recently, but it didn't really matter to Norihito, because he had Fusasaki, Yoshitsune, and Hiroko to play with, so who did it matter who his mother was talking to?

"Norihito!" his mother was calling. He looked up, and seeing her waving him over, he helped his sister to her feet and let her stumble over to their mother. "Norihito, Mihito and I were just speaking about Kagetoki."

Norihito nodded. Everyone knew about Kagetoki. His son was sixteen, just a few months older than Fusasaki, but he had no wife and his son was basically taking care of him. He had fallen into a river and nearly drowned. Miki had saved him, but he had trouble functioning since then. "What about him?"

"Well, you know how we've told you that you were born in an old Temple?" he nodded again. "The brothers there have offered to provide a home for people like Kagetoki and we were thinking we'd go with him there. Would you tell your friends?"

"Sure." And she smiled at him before he rushed off.

* * *

><p>"Fusasaki!" Norihito cried, rushing up to where the teen was sitting with his friends.<p>

"Hey!" he called back, holding out an arm in greeting. "What's the rush?" (Once, Fusasaki had been lectured for using contractions in his speech, but how was he to blame when everyone else in the land they ran into used them too?)

"Mama told me to tell all of you that we're going to take Kagetoki to the place I was born."

"We're going back to the temple?" asked Asano. "We haven't been there since we were nine years old!"

"Ten years old for some of us," put in Yoshinaka. "But why are we taking my father there?"

"I don't know," said Norihito. "Mama just told me to tell you and Yoshitsune." And the boy ran off.

"He's a good kid," said Fusasaki.

"I only wonder why he wants to spend time with _us_ and not…say…Haruma. He's closer to Norihito's age."

"Well Fusasaki declared himself Norihito's protector since the day he was born," said Kagechika, getting to his feet. "I think it sort of works both ways."

"I'm going to go tell my parents," said Asano. "Noriko is going to want some warning." Asano had tried to think of Noriko as her mother, but was unable to, remembering so well her own mother. Most of them, those with second marriage parents, had the same issue.

And so Yoshinaka went to where his father was being looked over _again_ by Miki for signs of improvement, Asano went to where her parents would likely be talking, and Fusasaki went to tell Takara.

"Father?" called Yoshinaka, approaching where his father was. He was gazing up towards the tops of the trees, but dragged his attention to his son. His attempt to stand didn't fare too well, either. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he whispered. "But keep your voice down, or else the demons will get us."

"Demons?" whispered Yoshinaka.

"Yes. They are everywhere, you see."

"Oh, I'll keep quiet then. But Nasu might have to be told that." Kagetoki nodded, probably not remembering who was even talking to him. That was the painful part for Yoshinaka.

"Yoshinaka," called a voice. He turned to see their leader, Akihito, coming towards him. "Have you heard? We're—"

"Taking my father to the Temple so that he'll be safe, yes."

"Shh!" put in Kagetoki.

"Kagetoki is hallucinating demons," whispered Miki. "It's best to keep your voice down."

"Ah, I see," whispered Akihito. "I'm sorry, I didn't see the demons, Kagetoki. I'll stay quiet."

Yoshinaka was pained to see his father that way-just three days ago he had refused to leave his dwelling because he thought giant invisible mushrooms would kill him! Yet, he knew the Brothers of the Temple of the Harp were quite capable of taking care of his father until he recovered-and he _would_ by all the gods and spirits!

* * *

><p>It was a slow trip, as there was a military encampment they had to go around by at least a mile, but eventually they made it to the Temple of the Harp. It was night, the moon's light filling the ravine below with silver light. It was a warm summer night, and Yoshinaka had convinced his father that the stars were keeping the demons at bay and <em>weren't<em> beacons set to show them where, so they all slept with no cover, opting to stare at the stars until they fell asleep. It kept Kagetoki happy and content.

Akihito and Michiko lay next to each other, their children asleep on their shared mat just two paces away. They were the last to fall asleep, as usual, for they shared the first watch.

"You know," whispered Akihito, his wife using his shoulder as a pillow, "according to some of the legends I've heard, the stars were created by the moon when she wept at being separated from the sun."

"Because the gods knew that there has to be duality in the world," whispered back Michiko, nuzzling his neck sleepily. "I have spent a fair amount of time with the ladies in town."

"If I ever had to separated from you, my love, I should weep as much as the moon. Though my tears would hold no cold fire to light the skies with." Michiko smiled and soon fell asleep on his shoulder, her hand brushing his military tattoos. She was his treasure, and while he had been worried to take her into the wilderness, Michiko had grown nearly so callous as the women in the old military. Takara and Michiko were on equal standing, now.

Just on the other side of the small "camp", Asano Tetsuya was lying awake, unknown to all who might see her. Her father was holding Noriko close, her little half-blooded brother lying next to her, snoring quietly. She loved her family, but she missed her mother. It had been five years, but that horrible pageant sometimes gave her nightmares yet. How the king's throat was a fountain of blood, how the queen's scream sounded…and her own mothers at her death.

Steering her mind away from that path of thought, she turned instead to what they were going to be doing come morning. Could it truly be so morally correct to simply leave a man here? True, the brothers promised asylum, but to leave him there and to leave…it didn't sit right with her. But brothers of temples across the entire empire were known for their knowledge of healing so he should be fine, yet…

Such debates were for the morning, she decided. She could talk to one of the brothers about it. And so she let the waves of sleep carry her gently out to the ocean of dreams.

* * *

><p>When the morning came, Kong Zĭ went to the courtyard, looking up at the sky. So many changes in the last five years and not a single whisper about those who had stayed with them. He missed them, especially young Fusasaki-bless the boy. He wondered how the baby Norihito was getting on, and if any had (though he hated to admit it) died. He was now twenty one, at least from three days ago, and never felt more like an adult. Now he was taken seriously and his own concerns taken seriously when came the debate to go down into that tunnel in the mountains or not.<p>

He heard a clamoring by the cliff entrance and immediately went to it, peering over carefully, he saw those he last saw five years ago. Happily, he grabbed the rope and dropped it down. He felt the tug indicating a safe harness and began to pull.

It took a half an hour with many pulling each other up, but at last the last of them, Akihito, were up. There were more children, some no older than four and…was that who he thought it was?

"Fusasaki?" he asked. The handsome young man grinned.

"You actually recognized me!" he laughed.

"Well, five years doesn't change your absurdly pointed nose!" The young man and the monk spoke fondly with each other, the young children staring on in amazement. How did they know each other?

"Kong Zĭ, it is wonderful to see you again," said Akihito, "but may we see Father Lăozĭ?"

"Oh…Father Lăozĭ is dead." A hush descended on them all. "He passed into the realm of the spirits three years ago. He caught a cold in winter and it settled in his chest. We saw him off with all rights of a Father of a Temple. We have appointed Yìjìng as the Father of the Temple."

"Then perhaps we may speak to Father Yìjìng?" asked Takara. The young monk nodded, and turned to fetch him.

"Who was Father Lăozĭ?" asked Norihito. Hiroko nodded.

"He used to be in charge of this place," said Yoshiko, picking up the little girl. "He was a wonderful man. Extremely spiritual, taught us the meditative songs they sing here during prayer. He even blessed and cleansed the room you were born in himself, Norihito."

When Father Yìjìng arrived, he went to Akihito and bowed. Akihito bowed back. "What do we have to owe for this arrival? We have not seen or heard of you these past five years!"

"Well quite recently Kagetoki fell into the river. He, according to Miki, actually drowned. That is, water in the lungs. But she managed to save him, which we are ever grateful for, but he has…had problems ever since."

"What sort of problems?"

"Hallucinations, trouble focusing, and memory loss," listed Yoshinaka. "Recently his arm has started spasming, too."

"I see. Father Lăozĭ promised you asylum and so I will honor that promise. Kagetoki may stay with us until such a time that he has recovered or his life has ended."

"What?" demanded Asano. Everyone turned to her. "That's…barbaric! You're just going to _house _him until he dies or _somehow _gets better? Are we so heartless all of a sudden?"

"Asano…" tried her father.

"No! I don't care that the rest of you can stay behind so easily, I am staying!"

"Asano, please, think—" tried Fusasaki.

"I have thought, Fusasaki. I couldn't sleep for most of the night thinking about it. I am staying here and I will help whoever you decide isn't worth your time!"

Miki smiled and went to the young woman (declared such at thirteen with her first blood), taking her hands and saying, "You have the heart of a Healer to feel that way."

"Don't you mean physician?"

"No. Physicians think of the human body as being receptive to any and all illness. A _Healer _believes that the body is a magical thing and only needs a little help to be in perfect order."

"Are you a healer?"

"I always have been." Miki smiled and turned to Father Yìjìng. "Teach her how to heal. She'll be invaluable." He smiled and nodded. Kagetoki had wandered off, Yoshinaka going after him.

"If you would all stay…?" he suggested. At the affirmative, he went to tell the other Brothers.

* * *

><p>"He loved you, you know," said Brother Ninshō, walking with Asano. He was showing her the area at the top of the cliff they were in.<p>

"Who, Brother Ninshō?" she asked politely.

"Fusasaki Fujiwara. I could see it in his face when they left. He loved you and didn't want you to stay."

"How could you tell?" there was a blush on her face, and the monk smiled.

"I was the youngest of ten children. I know love when I see it. Now, let's leave this behind for today, shall we? Today is a beautiful day!" and Asano smiled.

Her father had been unwilling to let his daughter from his first wife stay behind, but Noriko had managed to convince him. And now Asano was wandering the hidden pocket meadows in the mountains the Temple was settled in. Smaller than the majestic and overwhelming mountains to the east, but still enough that she had never heard of the meadows here before.

"Are we going to enjoy the day or are you going to teach me about medicine?"

"Not medicine, Asano. Healing. Now, a test." Asano pulled a face. Ninshō's tests were always the hardest. "What is that patch over there?" he gestured to a patch of taller plants.

"Knitbone," she replied. "Used for broken bones, sores, bruises, and other such things. Poultices are good for burns."

"Very good. And what are you standing in?" she looked down.

"Garlic plant! This is good for colds, keeping wounds from festering, abscesses, asthma, and lots more!"

"True. Now look around. What do you see?"

"Blackberries, that's good for diarrhea and the vinegar will hydrate someone with a fever. Marigold up there? That's good for the skin, sprains and stopping bleeding."

"And on that ridge?"

"Ginseng! That can be used for nearly everything! It helps stress, gives energy…" she trailed off with a blush before muttering, "and helps improve male potency…"

Ninshō outright laughed, saying, "As a Healer, Asano, you have entered an oath of celibacy, same as us. No man in his right mind would touch you. And no man that will enter your care, either!" Asano smiled.

They spent the rest of the day there, climbing the surrounding mountains and carefully helping each other down to where some plants were growing, Asano asking questions and such. When the sun began to sink, they headed back, holding freshly gathered plants.

"Will we be continuing this sort of thing tomorrow?" she asked.

"No, because you need to prescribe Kagetoki his treatment."

"Me? W-What about you? You know more!"

"Yes, but this is a step forward in your independency. It's been a month since you and Kagetoki came here. You are his caretaker now." She bit her lip, wrapping her arms around herself. She didn't know if she could do it…but she would try.

The night came and she retired to the room she had to herself-propriety and all that. But it seemed empty. She was used to hearing Yoshitsune snore next to her, to be able to look and see her father holding her second mother against him as they slept. And now she was as alone as she was when she was nine years old and had her own room back at the palace. She hated thinking of that time. It was just too painful-all the death, and the fear that seemed to clutch at everyone's very being.

She was fourteen. Why was she to decide the treatment for a man who needed a more experienced hand?

* * *

><p>It never failed to amaze Michiko, how in the span of five short years she had given birth to two beautiful children and the tyrant Shi Huangdi had become beloved by his Empire and was the sire of three children. There were well stabilized and flourishing schools for the breeding of scholar-gentlemen, and the Empress Zetian had improved the conditions of the orphanages and schools amazingly.<p>

And yet, she could not help but hate them. They had _killed_ her friends and new family! They had taken everything they knew and declared themselves masters of it! How _dare_ they?

She had spoken with Akihito about it, but he said that they should focus on staying alive, and not try to achieve regicide as they had done. But Michiko was known for passion among their small band-when she knew what she wanted she saw it to the end with no care for the means. If her son was hungry, she caught and killed a rabbit, more than she had ever been able to do before.

Forcing herself to calm, Michiko turned her attention instead to Fusasaki, who was learning from Tamako how to handle a spear and Mihito and Yoshiko walking past, hands clasped. She smiled at her sister and her suitor-for that was what they were.

In the five years since Mihito had broken her apathetic shell, the two had become close friends, and in the past two years, had begun to court. She liked that there was some tradition left. True, she and Akihito had experienced a type of love that was rare-a type that bloomed the instant the sun touched it, but to see her sister engage in such a courtship and teach all the girls and young women the art of baton dancing, it warmed Michiko's heart.

As she watched, however, Mihito kissed her hand and bid her farewell, approaching where she and Akihito were sitting with the children, pointing out constellations in the skies. She watched confusedly as he grew closer. "And do you see that one? That one is…" Akihito was saying, before trailing off to see Mihito before them. "Good evening, Mihito."

"Good evening," he said. "I was wondering if I might speak with you both."

"Of course, Mihito," said Michiko. "You may always speak with us."

"…Alone." The two leaders met eyes, but Norihito merely looked at him, took Hiroko and went to find Yoshitsune to tell the same stories he had just been told-from the moon weeping tears of cold fire to how the wise scholars and their king were placed in the heavens to watch over all below and record.

"What is it you wished to speak with us about?"

"It is in regards to your sister."

"What of Yoshiko?" asked Akihito, immediately alert. Mihito, to him, had always been a careful guardian of his sister-from shielding her during the _awful_ pageant with his own body to making certain that she never grew so apathetic again while she mourned-and to see him act so nervous…something had to be wrong.

"Nothing is wrong, if that is what you worry of. I merely…you understand that for the past two years we have been courting?"

Michiko grew increasingly happy as he spoke, but she merely nodded and said, "It has not escaped our notice."

"And you must know that I care most ardently about her."

"Indeed," said Akihito.

"I wished, in the…absence of your parents, that I may ask you for your sister's hand in marriage." Michiko smiled broadly, pressing her hands to her heart most delightedly. Akihito looked at the man evenly.

"You know that I love my sister dearly. That I would only do what would make her happy."

"Of c—"

"And I have seen over the past two years that being with you…makes her happy. Therefore, I am content in allowing this." Mihito grinned. "But know this. If she is at all unhappy with her marriage to you, should she choose it, then I will beat you to death with a small rock."

"Akihito," admonished Michiko. "Kishi would never marry someone she would not be eternally happy with if not content. If it matters, I approve as well."

"Many thanks!" said the former general breathlessly, his face alive with joy.

* * *

><p>It was the next day that Mihito asked Yoshiko, while the two walked in one of the hidden meadows of the forest. There was a spring there and it was Yoshiko's favorite places. Besides, it was only a day's journey to the Temple of the Harp, and with the new oath they had been sworn to visit (Asano had made her parents promise to visit more often than once every five years and everyone had taken an oath on it) they would have to let the woman know. It <em>had <em>been three months since they left, but the forest was enough to keep them safe for all that time.

"Yoshiko, I need to tell you something," said Mihito, as they walked hand in hand.

"What is it?" asked the ex-princess.

"I love you. Very much. You know this. I used to stumble over my words when we first began courting," he said, looking away as she giggled at the memory. "You are now twenty seven years old, and many would consider you too old and cast you to the life of a spinster. And yet I find you ever more lovely.

"I will not delve into why I find you such, I say it every chance I receive, but I will instead ask you one question." He sank to one knee, and bowed, the very picture of humility. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" and when he looked up she was crying, and when he stood to brush the tears away, she threw herself into his arms, crying,

"Yes! Oh yes! A thousand times, yes!" and she kissed him. They had kissed before, yes, but only fleeting ones. This kiss, however, seemed to be the _real_ reply to his proposal. And it was every bit as enthusiastic as her spoken acceptance. "Oh we will have to tell everyone! Perhaps we can catch a stag and have a party! That would be wonderful…"

"My dear, you are planning a bit ahead of yourself, are you not? We are not at court anymore. If any party is to happen, it will be quite modest, I fear. None so large as you are no doubt planning."

Yoshiko giggled to herself and took his hand, holding it tight between her own, very near skipping back to where they lived, such was her delight. Upon their return, she pulled away and swept up little Hiroko with a laugh, spinning her around and saying, "Your aunt is going to be married, little pupil!" the toddler laughed with her, apparently not grasping the situation entirely.

Mihito followed behind with a laugh as she ran to her siblings and declared the news to them. He had loved her boisterous nature for some time. It had been suppressed in their former lives, but now it had free reign over her entire life.

Yoshiko's good friend, Yoshimi Ashikawa (former Duchess by birth), had squealed and the two had grasped arms and jumped up and down in a giggling circle. It seemed to be a theme, and when she told Takara, the woman had smiled and hugged her tight.

Of course, Yoshiko had always been able to infect her emotions on others, so it really came as a surprise to anyone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Well, here we are with another chapter.

What Kagetoki has is Cerebral Hypoxia, a disorder caused by the brain being deprived of oxygen. Hallucinations, muscle spasms, and loss of memory are all symptoms, as is coma in worse cases. Hallucinations aren't always visual, either. They can be being convinced of something-like hearing your name being called or that demons are listening or the like.

Also, Yoshimi Ashikawa is a Japanese actress. She has been in "1 Liter of Tears" if anyone's interested. You can see it on Mysoju dot com.

Also, knitbone is comfrey and that plant is medically _amazing._ Read up on it, you'll be amazed.


	8. A Pregnant Pause

**A/N: **Hey guys! Imaginary, though you may be! It's taken a while to write this one due to all the regular reasons you know, school and whatnot, so here you go, enjoy, and don't be too harsh.

I also don't own Cirque du Soleil.**  
><strong>

* * *

><p>As it turned out, it was another nine months before they could return to the Temple of the Harp to tell Asano about the marriage of Yoshiko and Mihito Shōkō. They had been driven to flee as fast they could to the mountains in the east, taking shelter there. Along the way there had been a brief but violent skirmish that left ten of their own dead but twenty of the soldiers dead. They took small revenge.<p>

Yoshiko had been declared with child two months before they arrived at the Temple, which brought about teasing from the young man who had left his family to go with them. His name was Er Shi, the second son of a family that had moved to fill the land with farming in what used to be their kingdom. With curly brown hair and bright green eyes, he was almost an oddity. Green eyes were not common among those who had once been citizens of the Kingdom of the North.

But on one most memorable occasion of Er's teasing, Mihito had folded his arms over his chest and said simply, "One more reference to rabbits out of you and you will have no room to wonder how exactly I became General." He hadn't spoken a single word about rabbits since.

Hiroko was now four years old, and Norihito was six. Michiko also had a suspicion that she was again pregnant, but she did not want to distract from Yoshiko's impending child. Or children. Apparently she was more likely to have twins than Michiko was.

But once they did return, Asano was nowhere to be found.

"Where is she?" asked Takeda, very concerned for his daughter. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, she is fine," assured Father Yìjìng. "She has merely taken Kagetoki out for breath therapy."

"Breath therapy?" echoed Akihito, holding his daughter, who was sleepily holding her arms around his neck.

"Do not lower the value of breathing exercises, Akihito," said Takara, raising a bushy brow. "They have helped you in your own time in the military, if I remember correctly."

"Very true. I apologize if I have offended you." She smiled and tossed her head to rid her face of her hair. As she did, she missed the quietly adoring look of Seishi Inagaki. But Miki caught it, smiling knowingly. The past six years had taught her very much about love.

* * *

><p>It was evening when Asano returned, remarkably more mature than they had left her. Beside her was Kagetoki, who seemed to actually be recovered.<p>

"Father!" cried Yoshinaka, racing to him and hugging him tightly. The man held his son tight as well. "You're better."

"Not completely," he said. "I still have trouble remembering things, but Asano says that I'm near normal again."

"I don't think he'll ever truly recover," said the young woman as she stood with her parents. "No matter what I do, he always has memory problems." She shook her head. "I wanted to ask, there are a few people missing. Did they settle?"

"Asano…" sighed Noriko, staring at her hands. "We ran into the Imperial Army. Ten were killed." A gasp escaped her step-daughter's lips, her hand going to her lips. "What's worse, is that this may yet become a regular fact of life."

"That's…horrible." And Yoshitsune hugged his elder sister tightly.

Just a ways away from them, Fusasaki and Tadamichi were talking, especially about Tadamichi's impending fiftieth birthday. "Are you certain you will be able to travel with us then?" asked the younger Fujiwara.

"To be honest, I do not know," said Tadamichi. "There may be a very real chance of _me _being killed in the next skirmish." He let out a lungful of air and spread his hands over the blue fabric in his lap, frowning down at it. "You know, I have always felt the odd one out with these."

"But many of us wear kilts," reminded Fusasaki. "So you aren't _completely_ alone."

"Very true." He smiled at his son fondly. He had grown so much from the young boy six years ago. They all had. Those in the military had softened, and those in court had hardened. They had reached common ground at that point-emotionally soft but tough in respects to the dangers about them.

And so the conversations went. They stayed there, talking late into the night until they began to feel quite exhausted. Then they simply returned to the rooms they had stayed in the last time they were there.

* * *

><p>Dawn was just minutes away, and everyone was happily sleeping. Except Norihito. He had managed to pull a promise out of his father to see the sunrise with him. And Akhitio wasn't…a morning person, to put it lightly.<p>

So, when Norihito rushed over to where his parents were curled up together and began to while for him to wake, Akihito did his best to ignore his son.

"Your son is awake," murmured Michiko, who had been up with Hiroko after her nightmare.

"Before the sun rises, he's your responsibility," grumbled Akihito.

"Father!" whined Norihito throwing himself over his father's shoulder. "You promised!"

"I hate myself for it, but I did." And he pushed himself up with a groan, rubbing his face before standing. Norhito grabbed his hand and pulled him out, full of energy as only children under the age of ten have. He sat down by the Harp Room, the place where you could see the sunrise best, and waited for his father to join him.

"Will you tell me about the Kingdom again?" he begged.

"Norihito, we have told you nine thousand times! Surely you know the stories so well as if you had been there yourself."

"Yes, but it's no good when I tell it."

"It is not good," corrected Akihito. But he sighed and held his son close to him, watching the lilac sky in the east slowly turn to rose pink. "Before you were born, your mother and I lived in a place called the Kingdom of the North."

"What was it like there?"

"Well, we're still in it! But the palace was large and airy, made of the best material that could be found. White marble, strong oak wood, the best that could be found. Your aunt and I grew up there as Prince and Princess."

"Was it nice? Was Aunt Yoshiko a good princess?"

"She was a very good princess. She learned her lessons and danced baton, but she always played pranks, much like she does now. But those were grander scale. I was in the military with a lot of the people you know. Your uncle Mihito, Takara, Seishi—"

"And Hayato! Well, when he was alive."

"Exactly. That's where I got all my tattoos. They show rank." Norihito turned away from where molten gold was slowly appearing over the horizon to look at the tattoos all up his father's arm. They were different from some of the others. His were bands, but on the arms of some of the others, there were waves and scales…

"Why does Ei have scales?" he asked.

"Ei used to be Captain Ei Hisatora of the _Shōhei Maru._ The navy always has those patterns. Had. Had those patterns." Norihito stared up at his father, who looked so sad, and said,

"Well, I like them. But do you know what else I like?"

"What do you like, little Prince?"

"I like the sunrise!"

"Of course you do. So you wake up your father for them too." And he swept his son into his arms, tickling him mercilessly, making the boy shriek with laughter. As he did, Asano joined them, yawning.

"Good morning," she said.

"And to you," said Akihito, Norihito still writhing about in laughter.

"Let your son go, Akihito, I think he can't breathe." And their leader and former Crown Prince did so, smiling fondly at his son as he finished his giggles. "You know, three years ago, I would not have said that."

"I suppose not. You were a child then. But now we are equal adults." Asano nodded.

"You do know that Kagetoki will never completely recover, yes?"

"I…I had hoped it was not the case, but I suppose that we must deal with it."

"Yes. If…if it would not be too much trouble, do you think I could stay? He needs me to stay and keep treating him but…"

"No, we've all come to understand that you will always be here. Like a princess in a tower."

"With due respect, only your daughter could be called a princess."

"And me?" asked Norihito, climbing into Asano's lap as opposed to returning to his father.

"Well, you are our little Prince, remember? You know the stories."

"Mm-hmm. Mama and Daddy were going to become king and queen. And then people from the Empire got rid of the kingdom. So they're still trying to find us to make us stop being us."

"Exactly," said Akihito. He didn't want to tell his children that they were being hunted like animals, but they already knew. It was hard not to.

* * *

><p>On the other side of the Temple, Toshinari was waking. Her name was Toshinari Fujiwara, but she was only very distantly related to Tadamichi and Fusasaki, and three years younger than the younger. But while she was still barely an adult, she had known for a long time that she couldn't bear to hurt anyone. She had written <em>poetry<em> back in the kingdom! True, it wasn't _good _poetry, but the sentiment remains.

Recently (the past day), she had been observing Asano. She too, had always been opposed to hurting anyone, and as Healer, she seemed so content and happy in her own skin. She would help heal the hurt and she would never be hurt herself. Perhaps she too could have the life of a Healer. She could ask Miki…but she was so terrifying at times. Especially when you disobeyed her orders.

But she would ask. Yes. She would strengthen her resolve and do it. Yes. Toshinari Fujiwara, the orphan girl, would become the Healer for those not at the Temple! Hopefully…

With a sigh, she stopped lying there with her eyes closed, hoping the newly risen sun would go away and stop shining into her eyes, and got to her feet. Stretching, she left the room as silently as she could, trying not to wake Yuriko and Yoshimi, the two she was sharing sleeping quarters with.

Miki and Asano would be going out early today, to find healing herbs and fruits, and she would have to catch them before they left.

Leaving her sleeping quarters like the undead lumbering about, she saw Asano, Akihito, and Norihito sitting together, watching the sunrise and talking. But she needed to find Miki. Where was she? Now she hated the "Ichinose Talent", as Miki called it, to not be found unless they wanted you to find them.

But, standing in the cool morning, she saw Miki emerge and darted over, bolstering her resolve. "Miki!" she called. The Healer turned and regarded her curiously as the girl approached. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Do you feel unwell?" she asked, immediately slipping into doctor mode.

"What? No, I feel fine. I just wanted to ask you something."

And this got Miki's attention. "What is it?"

"I was wondering if I could learn from you. I mean, I can't hurt a living thing and I like helping people and—"

"I understand. We will give you a trial period, see if you can handle it. If you can, you will be my official apprentice. If not, then we will find something else for you to do and someone else for me to teach." Toshinari grinned brightly and squealed,

"Oh thank you! Thank you!"

"Do not thank me yet. We'll see how you do on this expedition." And she went to where Asano was holding Norihito in her lap. "Asano!" The young healer looked up. "We're going now! Brother Ninshō will meet us by the path!"

"Coming!" called Asano, getting up and bidding farewell to Akihito and Norihito. Hurrying over, the young woman smiled and asked, "Is Toshinari coming too?"

"Yes. She wants to become my apprentice. So we'll see how she does." Toshinari smiled shyly, and followed along as they made their way to the path out the back of the monastery.

* * *

><p>"Good morning!" chirped Nukatabe, bouncing her way to where her mother lay sleeping. Shaking her to wake her up, her mother, Iratsume, opened her eyes and frowned at her.<p>

"What makes it so good?" grumbled Iratsume. She was very young, only sixteen when she got married, and seventeen when she gave birth to Nukatabe. So the relationship between them was more relaxed. But it was just as fond.

"It's just beautiful! I was thinking I could go on a walk in the mountains. Do you want to come?"

"How beautiful is 'beautiful?'"

"Very, mother. Besides, I always ask you to come with me on walks."

"You're seven years old. Can't you go with Norihito or Yoshitsune? You would keep each other safe."

"Mother! You used a contraction! You always lecture me on them!"

"I am still half asleep." She groaned and sat up, rubbing his face. "Alright, I'll go with you. But first we will eat, alright?" Nukatabe smiled brightly and took her mother's hand as she smiled and walked outside.

By that time, most everyone was awake and the Brothers were opening the doors into the dining hall. Nukatabe ran and sat at one of the many tables, humming without a tune until her mother returned with breakfast.

When she did, the little girl ate it quickly, Iratsume smiling at her daughter. "We will go on that walk you wanted to go on right after, alright? Now slow down or you will be sick!" And she slowed down exaggeratedly, making Iratsume laugh aloud before turning to her own breakfast.

"Good morning," said Noriko happily, joining them with Yoshitsune. The little boy waved at the girl who waved back before continuing eating.

"What makes it so good?" asked Iratsume. Nukatabe giggled to herself, but didn't say anything.

"Standard greeting, Iratsume, there is nothing especially special about it. Except…"

"Except what?"

"They say Michiko's pregnant again."

"She and Akihito…I swear they are like rabbits."

"Excuse me? Their first child is six years old, I believe that that does not mean they are like rabbits."

"Hyperbole, Noriko!"

"What does 'hyperbole' mean?" asked Yoshitsune.

"I don't know," said Nukatabe simply, shrugging. "Mama, I am done! Can we go on that walk now?"

"_May_ we go on that walk, and just wait until I have finished eating."

"They're going to be here forever. Wanna go play?" said Yoshitsune. Nukatabe nodded and they ran off as their mothers called,

"They are and want to!"

* * *

><p>It was a half hour later that Nukatabe and Iratsume got to go on that walk, the same time that the Healers came back, baskets brimming with herbs and berries and flowers. And Toshinari was with them, looking a little bewildered.<p>

Along the way, they had told he everything about every plant they saw, not even pausing for a moment. As a result, she was a bit overwhelmed, but it was nice to do that sort of thing.

"So, how did it go?" asked Er, who had been standing nearby, watching Michiko and Akihito sit close together and putting words in their mouths.

"It went wonderfully," said Brother Ninshō. "Plenty of _birthing herbs._"

"Ugh, I did not need the reminder that those will come in handy. Thank you for that."

"You are welcome," said Asano with a smile.

Retiring to where Asano and Ninshō kept their supplies, they bound the herbs and hung them up to dry or set them in alcohol to become tinctures. Toshinari was then taught much more slowly about the processes.

"What does this do?" she asked, hanging up the woven strings of ginseng.

"Ginseng? Or the drying?" asked Miki.

"The drying."

"It helps preserve the ginseng plant so we can make it into teas. You remember what those help with, right?"

"Sort of an all cure? You are going to have to teach me a bit slower than you did earlier."

"We will go over it later." And Miki snatched some of the cannabis from Brother Ninshō. "I need to make a tincture before you dry that up." He nodded with a smile.

"Good morning, healers!" called Michiko, entering the room carrying her daughter.

"Good morning," said Asano, who was shaking the older tinctures. "Why did you deign to visit us, o great wife of our leader?"

"Hiroko skinned her knee." The girl nodded, and Miki went and picked up the girl.

"Well we'll fix that soon enough!" she said. "We'll wash it and make it better."

"How?" asked Hiroko.

"With a very secret method only Healers and mothers know. But we will let you in on the secret."

And so, having washed the minor injury, she got Michiko to give the knee a kiss, which made Hiroko smile, That had been all that was needed, apparently, as she pulled on her mother's hand to go play. And as they left, Toshinari immediately began to see Miki in a new light. A light that painted her beautifully in the orphan girl's eyes. Having a mentor so kind to the small children she had birthed made the pain of losing her mother in that horrible skirmish that much easier. A new mother, of sorts.

* * *

><p>Yoshiko was sitting in one of the near meadows in the mountains, leaning back with her hands supporting her from behind, smiling at her husband who lay on his side before her, his hand pressed to her abdomen.<p>

"We are going to have a wonderful child," he said, rubbing his thumb against her stomach gently. "And he or she will have the best mother in the world."

"_They_ will have the best father as well."

"They? Are you having twins?"

"If not, I assume we will have more children. Yes?" he smiled and pressed a kiss to her stomach.

"Little one," he said very quietly. "Can you hear me? It is me, your daddy. Now, when you come here and join us, you are going to find that the world can be scary. But you do not ever have to worry, understand? You are our child, and your mama is one of the strongest women I know and I was a general. We'll keep you safe and sound. So do not be scared, alright?" Yoshiko took his hand, and smiled at him as he sat up, kissing him gently a moment before curling up beside him, staring across the meadow that was being ruffled by the wind.

"I always knew I would have children, that I would have to provide heirs for whomever I marry, but…I suppose I never thought that I would love my husband. That it would be a partnership. I love you, Mihito. And no matter what, this child will only prove it."

And they sat there together for the rest of the day, talking to each other and to the baby, not even feeling the real need to go eat, both weren't hungry and the day was so nice. Besides, who knew what storms the future would bring? Better enjoy the melted butter sunlight while it lasted.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Yeah, I wrote that last bit listening to _Nemo Egg_ from the Finding Nemo Soundtrack. That explains the cheesiness factor. Enjoy that, and would you like some wine with that cheese?

The _Shōhei Maru_ was a real Japanese ship. It was the first Western style ship and was built in 1852 after the Dutch ships. It was a warship.

Also, Toshinari Fujiwara, better known as Shunzei's Daughter, was one of the best poets of her time, considered equal with the princess of the time, Princess Shikishi. That was her claim to fame. Yeah...

Cannabis is native to central Asia. It has been part of herbal healing for a very, very long time. It has also been turned into drugs. So, that's a dark spot on the reputation of a plant.

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	9. The Last of Childhood

**A/N: **Welcome back, whoever is reading this! I really don't have much to say except Merry Christmas to whomever is reading this. Oh, and that I was too busy watching the Hungarian musical Rómeó és Júlia to really work on this. Well that and school, but that doesn't really need mentioning at this point, eh?

It's a sad day when you realize that your view of Romeo and Juliet involves leather, epilepsy, rap, and Freudian complexes...sigh. Meh, it's good enough.

Any which way, I do not own Cirque du Soleil nor the song "Only Remembered" but I can use it as it is an Irish war hymn from 1870.

* * *

><p>Yoshiko gave birth to a beautiful girl just before the summer solstice in a forest at the base of the largest mountain in the large range in the east, who they named Hatsusebe. And oddly, while Michiko had been a doting mother, it was Mihito who did the doting. And while Michiko had sung sweet lullabies she used to be sung, Yoshiko left no room for her daughter to think of her life as anything but what it was. She wrote her own lullabies, and they were blunt, but soft and sweet sounding.<p>

Truly though, Yoshiko was very happy, practically glowing from her joy. She would dance about holding Hatsusebe and avoiding her niece and nephew as they raced screaming "Second born, second place!" "Not for long!" It amused her, but the baby demanded her attention and she would _give _this baby her attention, thank you very much.

And so there they were, mother and daughter, the little girl falling asleep as her mother sang. "Fading away like the stars in the morning," Yoshiko sang. "Losing their light in the glorious sun. Thus would we pass from this world and its toiling. Only remembered for what we have done. Only remembered, only remembered, only remembered for what we have done. Thus would we pass from the world and its toiling. Only remembered for what we have done. Only the truth that in life we have spoken, only the seeds that in life we have sown. These will pass onwards when we are forgotten, only remembered for what we have done."

"Your child is going to grow mentally impaired from grief," said Akihito fondly, smiling at her.

"Oh let off," sighed Yoshiko, turning, her daughter now asleep against her. "Your children are being let loose to run about!"

"Well, their home _is_ this entire forest." She rolled her eyes, adjusting her hold on Hatsusebe.

"Do you know where Mihito is?"

"He is off hunting. Should be back soon though." She nodded. Truly though, Akihito did not tell her where her husband was. Because he was teaching his nephew how to fire both a bow and arrow and a sling. Both were devastating in battle, and Yoshiko did not want her nephew fighting. He hated thinking it, but Akihito's opinion was torn between keeping his son alive and preparing him for the life ahead of him.

Of course, it seemed to be that they led to the exact same thing.

* * *

><p>"Now two fingers underneath the arrow and one above…" Mihito was saying, carefully guiding Norihito to hold the bow correctly. It was too big for him, but just by a little. He was a tall little boy, and very eager to learn how to fire a bow like the adults. He didn't want to fight like his father—that would be copying. "Now you are going to pull back the string. That is going to be hard now, so I will help you." And they pulled it back, Norihito struggling and Mihito guiding effortlessly. "And now we aim…and release." And the arrow fired, landing in the target (a tree) that was very close.<p>

"I hit it!" cried Norihito excitedly. "Did you see, Uncle? I hit it!" He smiled and said,

"Yes, you did. Do you want to try again?"

"Yes!" and so they went through the same motions as before, Norihito happy again that he hit the tree. After the third time, though, Fusasaki and Tadamichi walked past. Norihito immediately ran over to the younger man and cried, "Fusa! Guess what! I just hit that tree _three times_ with a bow and arrow!"

"That is wonderful," Fusasaki said, smiling at the boy. "But my father and I were talking about something very important…"

"Oh! I'm sorry! Keep talking!" and he grabbed his Uncle's hand and pulled him away, telling him how the Fujiwara's were talking and should be let alone.

And indeed, they were talking about something important. Tadamichi, at fifty one, was worried that perhaps his presence was growing more of a burden than anything else. But his advice to Akihito had kept them all alive and (mostly) well the past seven years. He had nearly been killed when they ran into soldiers last year, and now he was certain he was too old.

"But who shall keep Akihito's counsel?" asked Fusasaki, bringing up what had been a bit of an avoided issue. "Without you, who can he trust?"

"I believe that he may turn to you, Fusa," said Tadamichi.

"_Me?_ What can I do? I-father, I am seventeen!"

"And? You are a fully grown man, you are my _son_, and you know everything I do at this point." Fusasaki bit his lip, looking away. Sighing, his father took his hand and said, "Fusa, you were nine when our kingdom fell, and your mother, rest her soul, always said you would grow to do well in the world. This is how you can do that."

"I…I'll see. If Akihito asks me, then I will, but I do not believe it would be right to volunteer for the job."

"I am glad you will consider it if he does, at least," said Tadamichi.

* * *

><p>It had turned out that Michiko had not been pregnant, but she had recently contracted some sort of illness, and she was rather upset about it. She had only had a mild cold a few years previous during early spring, and now she was coughing like mad, a heaving cough originating in her lungs and made her feel very little hunger but immense thirst.<p>

"You are certain about this?" she asked, presented with blackberry vinegar. "This will quench my thirst?"

"It works on people with fevers," said Toshinari.

"Well I do not have one, Toshinari, it broke yesterday. Perhaps I could just continue to drink water and sleep."

"You need to tell us when your fever breaks, Michiko!" said Miki sharply. "Honeyed tea, then, to calm that cough."

"And how long am I to be separated from my children and niece?"

"Until this goes away. We do not want them to get sick," said Toshinari. "From what we can tell, there are connections in your lungs that do not wish to work properly. We must help them return to normal. Should Hatsusebe contract it, she could die." Michiko sighed, but that turned into a horribly hacking cough that tore from her painfully.

"See?" said Miki. "Do you want your niece to suffer through that as well?" Michiko sighed, and lay down on the sleeping mat, pulling the blanket over her. "Good choice."

"Excuse me?" came the voice of her most wondrous husband. "May I enter the tent you have put my wife in?"

"Yes, fine," said Miki, brushing back a strand of graying hair. And the man entered, obviously amused at Michiko's quarantine.

"Is this entirely necessary?"

"You have heard her cough," reminded Toshinari. "We do not want this going around. If you will excuse me, I must make some tea." And she was gone. So, Michiko smiled up at her husband and said in her voice that sounded nothing like her normal voice,

"I miss you."

"I know. I miss you too," said Akihito. "You will recover soon though. I once had this same disease, you will be fine in a few more days."

"I hope so. It is quite saddening, being kept in here." Miki, on the other hand, folded her arms and gave as close to a glare as she could give. She wasn't used to glaring, just sharp glances…they were different!

"I know. I have been bedridden too, back in the palace." His wife nodded, a coughing fit taking hold of her. He smiled sympathetically at her when the fit subsided, and said, "I regret leaving you here, but our daughter seems to be missing. Shall I find her?"

"Yes, that may be wise." He kissed her brow gently before leaving, leaving her to sleep.

* * *

><p>Prince Huhai was bored. Very, very bored. He was sitting in lessons, boring ones at that, and he could not stand it!<p>

"Your highness, are you paying attention?" his calligraphy teacher asked.

"No, to be honest," the young prince said.

"Your highness…" But it was without base. The man teaching him couldn't really do much, he was Crown Prince, after all.

"Is my son refusing to learn?" Both turned to see Empress Zetian there, smiling indulgently but her eyes just that side of sharp.

"It is so boring, though, mother!" the young prince whined.

"And yet you will be glad you learned. I learned, your father learned, and everyone at court too," she said. Her tone was seemingly motherly, but Huhai knew that that voice promised some serious punishment if he didn't obey.

"Yes, mother," he intoned.

"Good. Master Liú, please continue the lesson."

"Of course, your Imperial Highness," Master Liú, rising from his bow. The Empress swept from the room, the teacher and Huhai's nursemaid rising completely. "Now, your highness, we will move on to another character."

"Do we have to? Mother is not here so we can assumedly pretend I did."

"Your highness, that is morally reprehensible and not at all befitting your character!" snapped his nursemaid. He sighed but nodded, dipping the brush into the ink, ready to continue. He was bored with it, but he would learn.

* * *

><p>Ao Han joined them just two months earlier. He was twenty two, an idealist, and had far too much of an infatuation with Miki. She was one of those people who never seemed to get old, even though Michiko was a few years younger than her and the former princess was already going grey. So poor Ao was suffering a great crisis. On one hand, she was much older than him (32) and she was the <em>healer<em> with an oath of _celibacy_, but on the other hand, her _legs._

Before he joined, he had lived in a small village focused around farming, as many villages were. There, every woman was wrapped up in layers. Here, unless the woman was pregnant, they wore only their undergarments. He had learned the hard way that staring at Takara resulted in a quick bit of physical violence to discourage this in the future considering her foundling relations with Seishi, and that Yoshiko, beautiful as she was, was _married to a former General._ Plus, they had a child. But thanks to this violence he got to meet Miki. She had the longest legs he had ever seen, and she seemed against violence as well. Her apprentice, Toshinari, she teased him daily about it, but he really did wish that she would just shut up.

At the moment he was sitting by the fire with Toshinari, who was brewing some tea for the ill Michiko, and Akihito was sitting with them, talking. Then he suddenly turned to Ao and said,

"So, you are harboring affections for our Healer."

"Does everyone know?" moaned Ao.

"Aside from Miki, yes. And you _do _know that she has an oath of celibacy, yes?"

"That's something that's making this just painful."

"He likes her legs," Toshinari said. Akihito looked like he didn't know how to process that, and Ao's head dropped between his knees with a groan.

"I am going to go kill myself now."

"Do not do that. Things may not be ideal now, but they will look up. When I first met my wife I could barely be called upon to pay any attention."

"And yet here you are, married to her with a son and a daughter. And that is _quite_ impossible for me." Akihito shrugged, obviously unconcerned with Ao's threats to go kill himself.

"You will get over her, I promise," said Akihito kindly, patting his shoulder before getting up, going off to find his daughter, presumably.

"You are never going to get over her and you will die sad," laughed Toshinari. Ao could do nothing but make a face at her.

* * *

><p>Takara and Seishi had left the small camp to climb partly up the mountain. Takara claimed to have seen the best view possible from up there, so there they sat, staring across the trees, watching birds fly above occasionally.<p>

Takara settled happily against the man, his arm going around her as they watched the land around them ring with life.

"We will go home, someday," said Seishi. "Perhaps not to the Kingdom, that is fallen long ago, but we will find a home, and we will go home." Takara hummed her agreement, saying,

"When we go home, there will be no weapons, no fighting. There will just be a man and a woman." And they lapsed into silence, simply enjoying the purity of the world around them. As they sat, Seishi remembered the song he had learned the many years ago during their first stay at the Temple of the Harp, the one that Father Lăozĭ taught him.

So, he began to sing it under his breath. The lilting tune that held on notes that sounded like birds at times. Takara closed her eyes, listening to him sing with silent content. Truly, she could find no better enjoyment than the time she spent with this man, curled up beside him and listening to him breathe or sing. Seishi loved to sing.

They sat there for a long while yet, talking about when they "went home", an event they spoke of often but also knew wasn't going to happen. But they ignored that bit. It would be too painful to think of it otherwise.

"Tell me, do you believe that Norihito will be a good leader?" asked Seishi once he finished the prayer song.

"I…I do not know," said Takara. "He is so young, it would be impossible to know. But we can hope. I thought that Akihito's reign would be one of prosperity and peace…now we know that it is not."

"Indeed…" He heaved a sigh, and rested his head against hers, beginning to hum quietly. The thrum of his song under her ear soothed Takara, closing her eyes and lulling her into a peaceful doze.

Seishi smiled but kept humming. He loved her, he really did. But he worried. What happened come the day that he could no longer help protect her, much that she hated to admit he did? What happened the day he died? He knew he would, everyone did, and here the chances seemed higher.

But he would ignore that for now, instead turning to press a kiss to her brow, coaxing a happy hum from her breast. With a smile, Seishi turned to look at the sunny day. He long since learned not to trust sunny days without clouds. A storm always appeared by the end.

* * *

><p>The next day dawned grey and slightly drizzly, making many quite upset. A drizzle was never fun. A <em>rainstorm<em> was fine. But not a drizzle. Those were the bane of their existence.

So, they all stayed close to the fire, talking. The children played small games with each other, but were kept away from the fire.

As they did, Mihito realized that his wife seemed to be bursting at the seams to say something and so he turned to her and asked simply, "My love, why are you holding in whatever you wish to say?"

"Because I wish to tell a story about Hatsusebe," said Yoshiko simply.

"And why do you not?"

"Because if I do, then I will wake up on the morrow looking like my nursemaid."

"You will not look like your nursemaid." Noriko and Takeda, who were sitting nearby, heard this and laughed. "See, why do you not tell a story to these two?"

"Oh, one moment," said Noriko. She pulled an arrow from her husband's quiver and placed her head against Takeda's. They then pretended to shove the arrow through their heads.

"Double suicide," commented Mihito.

"We made a pact," said Takeda.

"And _that,_ Mihito is why. We cannot even be mature adults about this!" said Yoshiko, heaving a sigh. And that began Mihito's quest to let his wife feel secure enough to tell a story about their beloved daughter. It would take a long time but it would be worth it. It certainly would.

* * *

><p>Yes, it took a week and half a move up the mountains before she could, but when she did, she was telling the stories of how Hatsusebe vomited over Mihito's shoulder to her brother, his wife and their friends Noriko and Takeda. Mihito sat nearby, playing with their daughter and listening with a smile as Noriko pulled out an arrow and said, "We are now going to attempt the world's first quadruple suicide by arrow." And they gave out fake screams. Mihito was forced to hold back a chuckle when he heard his wife say,<p>

"I am ignoring your lack of love for me, I am wiping off the blood spilled on me and I am continuing my story, thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** So here we are again.

Hatsusebe was named for the daughter of Emperor Temmu (Oama) by a court lady. I gave Michiko bronchitis because I had it last year and I wanted someone else to suffer and that's about it.

Oh yes, the line "When we go home there will be no weapons, no fighting. Only a man and a woman" comes from the movie "Hero" which I do not own either. I just love that line a lot so I wanted to use it.

Review?


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